Borden Lady Braves Heading to the State Finals, Defeating Greenwood Christian Academy Cougars, 65-26

The Borden Lady Braves made it to the championship game of the 1A IHSAA Semi-State held at Charlestown High School, as they went to battle against the Greenwood Christian Academy Cougars.

The tip-off started at 8 p.m. with Borden taking control of the ball. Both teams took bounced back and forth with the ball during the first two minutes of the first quarter, making attempts to make a basket, but were unsuccessful in doing so. It wasn't until the 5 minute mark, when Borden scored a three-pointer, and quickly again, Borden's AJ Mallad scored a two-pointer followed by a time-out at 4:21 in the first quarter, bringing the score to 5-0, Lady Braves lead. A free-throw was made by Greenwood Christian Academy, making their first point of the game. Borden came back with a three-pointer 8-1 at the 3 minute mark. At the 2 minute mark GCA scored a three-pointer, making 10-4. Borden shot a two-pointer around 1:30 on the clock, in the first quarter. At 1:05, GCA hit another free-throw shot, bringing the score to 12-5, Borden leading.

At 26.3 seconds, Emma Hart scored 2 points at the free-throw line for Borden, bringing the end of the first quarter, 14-5, with the Lady Braves having a nine-point lead.

In the second quarter, the Borden Lady Tigers started off with a two-pointer, making the score 16-5, early in the quarter. Emma Hart scored another basket, bring the Lady Braves 18-5.

At 6:34, Riley Rarick scored two at the free-throw line, making it 20-5 over Borden lead. Riley came back at 6:05 shooting a three-pointer with Borden having a 18-point lead, 23-5.

As the second quarter went on, Borden and GCA ran back and forth scoring a few two-pointers battling it out on the floor, during the five minute range. GCA's Annani Stoltz shot a three-pointer 29-10 in the three-minute range on the clock, followed by another three-pointer by Borden, 32-10.

GCA scored a two-point basket at the 2 minute mark on the clock 32-12. Then at 1:10 Borden scored another basket, bringing the score to 34-12.

In the final seconds of the second quarter, Borden was in control of the ball, trying to attempt to score, when Ava Wheeler was fouled and went up to the free-throw line to shoot 1 of 2 successfully at 7 seconds. Borden and GCA went into the locker rooms as the Lady Braves had a 23-point lead, 35-12.

At the start of the second half, Borden's Riley Rarick scored the first three-pointer with the first 15 seconds, 38-12, Borden's lead. At 5:49, the score was 42-12, with the Lady Braves, scoring two more baskets.

At 5:10, GCA was able to score two points, 42-14. Borden leading. At 3:30 Ava Wheeler scored a 3-pointer for 45-14. With 3:14 in the third quarter, GCA's Norah Herndon scored two points from the free-throw line bringing the score to 45-16, with at 29 point lead for the Lady Braves. At 2:55, Borden scored another three-pointer, 48-16, Lady Braves in the lead.

The girls were doing good on both sides, trying to make some points during the 2 minute mark on the clock, but wasn't able to until Borden's Riley Rarick was fouled and she scored two points bringing them to a 34 point lead 50-16 over the Cougars of GCA.

With less than a minute on the clock, Borden scored two points, after trying to making several unsuccessful shots. Then at the buzzer, Borden's A.J. Mallad scored the last basket of the third quarter, 55-16, Borden leading.

Fourth quarter action seemed to have both teams to be more focused and getting some points for both the Cougars and Lady Braves scoring 61-21 at 6:25 on the clock.

Shelby Thornbury scored a basket at 3:45 bringing the score to 63-23, Borden leading.

GCA's Nadiah Konecky shot a three-pointer for GCA at 1:30 left in the fourth quarter, 65-26.

In the final seconds, Borden was in control of the ball, but was not able to score, but was able to win the game, 65-26, being named the IHSAA 1A Semi-State Girls Basketball Champions at Charlestown High School.

Borden's leading scorer was Riley Rarick with 25 points, followed by Emma Hart with 10, AJ Mallad with 8, followed by Ava Wheeler and Saylor Schleich with 7 and McKenna Mullen and Shebi Thornbury, both with 4

Greenwood's top scorers were Annani Stoltz with six, Kate Reed with five, Nora Herndon with 4, Myria Finnity with 3, and Molly Hunter and Kaylee Edgar with 2 Nadiah Konecky with 3.

The Borden Lady Braves will be heading to Gainbridge Arena in Indianapolis on Saturday, February 28, to compete in the IHSAA Girls State Basketball Championship.