With only one game remaining until the championship, East Burke turned to their smallest player.

Braelyn Stilwell, a junior guard, had a total of 27 points in the 2A West Regional final game. This helped the (3) Cavaliers secure their spot in the state championship for the first time, with a 48-39 victory over (12) Lincoln Charter.

East Burke remains undefeated at 31-0. Lincoln Charter finishes the season at 25-6.

Stilwell had a field goal percentage of 8-for-13, making 2 out of 3 three-pointers and 9 out of 10 free throws. She also had four steals and was the only Cavaliers player to score in double digits. Kara Brinkley, a sophomore, and Ally Moore, a senior, both contributed eight points each.

In the second quarter, Stilwell energized the Cavs, providing a crucial burst of energy.

The East Burke team’s junior point guard led the scoring in the second quarter with 12 points out of their total of 17. She went on a 10-0 run herself, pushing her team to a 23-14 lead.

Lincoln Charter had to take a timeout after this, in an attempt to halt the game’s momentum. They were able to slightly reduce their deficit to five points (23-18) by the end of the first half.

Both teams had a slow start, with a combined 1-for-12 shooting rate in the beginning of the game. Lincoln Charter missed their first five shots, but East Burke failed to capitalize due to their own three turnovers. Both teams showed signs of nervousness on the big stage and had a total of 16 turnovers in the first half.

Stilwell calmed down after scoring 17 points in the first half, and her teammates followed her example by gradually getting into the flow of the game. In the third quarter, Brinkley extended East Burke’s lead to its highest point (33-22) by making one of two free throws.

The Cavaliers maintained the lead in the second half, but faced pressure from the Eagles in the last quarter.

At the beginning of the last quarter, East Burke had a turnover on two out of their first four possessions. Lincoln Charter capitalized on this, with Symphani Stevens scoring a layup and Martha Guinle making two free throws, resulting in a five-point lead for the Cavaliers.

East Burke regained momentum when Kamiah Lawing grabbed an offensive rebound and scored two points. Shortly after, Stilwell stole the ball at halfcourt and made a layup, giving the Cavaliers a nine-point lead with 3:19 left in the game.

Stevens helped Lincoln Charter stay in the game by making a three-point shot from the left side to bring the score to 40-34. Her teammate Claire David scored a two-point shot on the next play and the Eagles were able to force a turnover with less than two minutes left in the game. Stevens attempted a shot from the left elbow but missed, and East Burke grabbed the rebound with 1:42 remaining in the game.

The Cavaliers used up 36 seconds on the game clock before Lincoln Charter committed a foul. Brinkley successfully made two free throws, extending the lead to six points. The Eagles were unable to make a jump shot on their next possession and were subsequently forced to foul for the remainder of the game. Lincoln Charter’s shooting percentage was 37.5% in the fourth quarter, scoring only three field goals. East Burke also only made three shots during this time, but they were perfect from the free throw line, making all eight attempts.

Lincoln Charter’s top scorer was Stevens with 17 points. David and Kallie Lusk contributed six points each.

East Burke will face the victorious team from the East Regional, which includes (1) North Pitt and (3) Seaforth.

In the East Burke game, Braelyn Stilwell scored 27 points, while Kara Brinkley had 8 points and 10 rebounds. Ally Moore also contributed 8 points, Kamiah Lawing had 4 points, and Journi McDowell had 1 point.

At the Lincoln Charter game, Symphani Stevens scored 17 points, Kallie Lusk scored 6 points, Claire David scored 6 points, Tyler Beller scored 5 points, and Martha Guinle scored 5 points.

Source: highschoolot.com