WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — The second of back-to-back titles was 100 percent earned.

Cherokee’s Lady Braves are the N.C. High School Athletic Association 1A girls basketball champions again after defeating East Bladen 84-48 in Friday’s title game at Lawrence Joel Memorial Coliseum.

It was not easy for a program that has blown out almost all comers over the last two years.

That in itself made it even sweeter.

Not only was there a come-from-behind regional final on Wednesday, but this year’s title match was a far cry from last year’s 74-32 mercy-rule blowout win over East Columbus in the state final.

East Bladen trailed just 37-35 in the third quarter before Cherokee went on a 41-8 run.

“It showed how much grit we have,” said junior Dvdaya Swimmer said.

East Bladen (26-4) fell behind 53-39 going into the fourth quarter, but most of the first three periods only saw single-digit separation between the two teams.

Cherokee (28-2) pushed the pace the way it wanted, but could not find the bottom of the net like usual. The Lady Braves were haunted by poor shooting, making just 34-of-97 shots (35.1 percent).

“We had a lid on the bucket at the beginning, but one thing I know is (my team) isn’t going to buckle, they’re not going to shut down — they’re going to keep on,” said first-year head coach Miranda Stamper said. “If we have to shoot 200 shots a game, we’ll shoot as many as it takes to win that ball game. They’re not going to give up.”

The exception was Whitney Rogers, the Kay Yow MVP of the contest after finishing with 33 points on 14-of-27 shooting just two days after hyperextending her knee, which caused her to leave the first quarter of the regional final against Bishop McGuinness.

“I guess it wasn’t too serious,” Rogers said of her injury.

Swimmer was named West MVP after scoring 15 points to go with 10 rebounds, six assists, and five steals.

Cherokee had led just 35-31 at halftime. The Lady Braves broke open a 10-point lead in the second quarter but it was quickly erased by the Eagles who routinely beat Cherokee at its own fast-break game with outlet passes or a less conventional strategy… cherry-picking.

Knowing that Cherokee will press on a make or a miss, East Bladen played 4-on-5 defense on some possessions, leaving a player that they could count on to throw to as soon as collecting the defensive rebound. East Bladen coach Patty Evers said she’s done that all year.

Cherokee took that away in the second quarter, having two players run back and only three crashing the offensive boards.

There were lots of rebounds available given how many times Cherokee shot the ball — 97 times on the game is likely an NCHSAA title game record. Cherokee shot 51 times in the first half alone, only making 15 of them (29.4 percent) and a woeful 1-of-13 from 3-point land. Cherokee got 20 offensive rebounds (34 total) in that half, East Bladen collected 22 of them (17 defensive).

But once Cherokee stacked fast break bucket after fast break bucket in the early parts of the fourth quarter, the Lady Braves finally had some breathing room.

Second-seeded Cherokee defeated top-seeded Bishop McGuinness in a 65-61 classic in the 1A West regional final while seventh-seeded East Bladen handled top-seeded Perquimans 77-63 in the 1A East regional final. Those games were also at “the Joel” as part of the final four format.

This marks Cherokee’s third title overall in four appearances.

“They just jumped all over us in the second half. They’re a very good team. They just grind. I mean they get after it,” Evers said.

The Eagles got clutch performances from their two-headed monster of Laila Smith and NeNe Ward. Smith, named East MVP, had 22 points. Ward had 12 points and eight rebounds.

Evers finished runner-up with the Eagles for a fifth time. After 635 wins, the state title is still an elusive one for her.

“They fought and fought to get here,” Evers said. “I thought we played one heck of a half of basketball. That first half, we couldn’t have played any better.”

Before the game, each team honored its sportsmanship award winner for the season: Ward from East Bladen and Kyla Moore from Cherokee.

BOX SCORE
CWY 18-17-18-29 84
EBL 15-16-8-8 48

Cherokee: Madison Rogers 10, Kyla Moore 4, Dvydaya Swimmer 15, Daisee Fourkiller-Raby 6, Yvonne Saunooke 4, Joscelyn Stamper 8, Tsuli Lossiah 4, Whitney Rogers 33
East Bladen: NeNe Ward 12, Aaliyah Monroe 2, Ariel Cromartie 4, Cabria Baldwin 5, Laila Smith 23, Niyah Wooten 2