By Jason Williams
Nashville, TN – For 28 consecutive games, Briarcrest had played almost perfect basketball. But in the semifinals of the state tournament, nothing went right for the previously undefeated Lady Saints.
Briarcrest’s season ended Friday with a 53-36 loss – its only loss of the season – against Brentwood Academy (22-6).
“We were completely out of character today in the first half,” said Briarcrest head coach Lee Smith. “We shot the first nine shots on jump shots, and that’s not who we are. You can’t come out on a night like this and play against a team like Brentwood and throw away a first half and think you’re going to come back and win.”
The Lady Saints were dominated in almost every facet of the game. They made only one basket in the first half, and it occurred as the halftime buzzer sounded. They were outrebounded 39-19 for the game.
“It is very frustrating,” Smith said. “If someone had bet me that we would’ve played like this, I wouldn’t have believed it. I wouldn’t have taken that bet.”
Brentwood Academy eighth grader Sydni Harvey was the game’s leading scorer with 19 points. Briarcrest’s Jasmine Cincore finished with 11. Photo by Karlee Wakeley.
Miss Basketball finalist Jasmine Cincore led the Lady Saints with 11 points. The University of Nebraska signee didn’t give excuses to her team’s poor play.
“We turned it on really late,” Cincore said. “Second half, we decided to turn it on, but it was too late. But we were ready for it. We just didn’t come out and execute.”
Eighth-grader Sydni Harvey was the game’s leading scorer with 19 points.
Junior India Hall finished with 15 points. She scored 10 points in the third quarter to help the Eagles’ lead grow from 12 to 21.
The Lady Saints were able to string together some three-pointers in the fourth quarter that cut the lead to 12, but the Eagles’ youthful roster had built an insurmountable lead.
“While we played horrible, I don’t want to discredit Brentwood,” Smith said. “Brentwood did a great job, and they’re young. With the size they have, they’re going to be something to reckon with in the future.”
Brentwood Academy will play Ensworth at 5 p.m. Saturday in Allen Arena.
J-Will Sports 