Davidson Day knocks off O'Neal School to win 2A title
By Joel Bryant, HighSchoolOT.com reporter
Raleigh, N.C. — In a matchup of the two top seeds in the NCISAA 2A girls bracket, Davidson Day took down The O’Neal School by a score of 62-45 to win the state championship.
Davidson Day hit three free throws in the first minute of play to take a 3-0 lead.
Senior Ralayah McRae scored the first points of the game for the Falcons when she took the ball coast-to-coast for a layup to cut the lead to 3-2. On the following possession, Keionnna Love hit a three for O’Neal to give them their first lead of the game.
When Davidson Day led 12-9 with 30
Seconds to go in the opening frame, freshman Caelan McHarney got an and-1 layup to fall. Her free throw tied the game at 12.
Davidson Day hit two free throws before time expired to take a 14-12 lead into the second quarter.
– / 24
After not scoring in the first quarter, O’Neal School star Hadiya Balser hit a layup to open the second and tie the game at 14.
After that, Davidson Day went on a 6-0 run to take a 20-14 lead.
The O’Neal School eventually came back to tie the game at 22 with 1:55 to go in the first half. On the next possession, Balser got fouled and made a free throw to give her team the lead.
At halftime, the teams were tied at 24.
Davidson Day started the second half on a 11-3 run to take an eight point lead and force a timeout by the Falcons.
Later, Davidson Day held a 45-29 lead with two minutes to go in the third. That lead did not change until the fourth quarter.
Davidson Day outscored The O’Neal School 21-5 in the third quarter. In hindsight, it was that third quarter effort that won the Patriots the state title.
Davidson Day outscored O’Neal in the fourth quarter 17-16 to go on to win 62-45.
Balser, a junior, led the Falcons with 13 points on the night.
Sophomore Mallory Haines led the Patriots with 23 points. Junior Nevaeh Brown scored 19 for Davidson Day.
By Joel Bryant, HighSchoolOT.com reporter
Raleigh, N.C. — In a matchup of the two top seeds in the NCISAA 2A girls bracket, Davidson Day took down The O’Neal School by a score of 62-45 to win the state championship.
Davidson Day hit three free throws in the first minute of play to take a 3-0 lead.
Senior Ralayah McRae scored the first points of the game for the Falcons when she took the ball coast-to-coast for a layup to cut the lead to 3-2. On the following possession, Keionnna Love hit a three for O’Neal to give them their first lead of the game.
When Davidson Day led 12-9 with 30
Seconds to go in the opening frame, freshman Caelan McHarney got an and-1 layup to fall. Her free throw tied the game at 12.
Davidson Day hit two free throws before time expired to take a 14-12 lead into the second quarter.
– / 24
After not scoring in the first quarter, O’Neal School star Hadiya Balser hit a layup to open the second and tie the game at 14.
After that, Davidson Day went on a 6-0 run to take a 20-14 lead.
The O’Neal School eventually came back to tie the game at 22 with 1:55 to go in the first half. On the next possession, Balser got fouled and made a free throw to give her team the lead.
At halftime, the teams were tied at 24.
Davidson Day started the second half on a 11-3 run to take an eight point lead and force a timeout by the Falcons.
Later, Davidson Day held a 45-29 lead with two minutes to go in the third. That lead did not change until the fourth quarter.
Davidson Day outscored The O’Neal School 21-5 in the third quarter. In hindsight, it was that third quarter effort that won the Patriots the state title.
Davidson Day outscored O’Neal in the fourth quarter 17-16 to go on to win 62-45.
Balser, a junior, led the Falcons with 13 points on the night.
Sophomore Mallory Haines led the Patriots with 23 points. Junior Nevaeh Brown scored 19 for Davidson Day.
