By By Adam Robinson
Sports Editor
The T.R. Miller Lady Tigers used a 19-1 explosion of points in the first quarter to propel them to a 53-23, 30-point win over Glencoe Wednesday night in Birmingham at the BJCC in the Final Four semifinals of the class 3A girls basketball playoffs.
With the win the Lady Tigers improved to 25-2 with their 18th straight win and will take on Madison Academy Saturday morning back in Birmingham for the class 3A state championship.
This will be T.R. Miller’s first chance at a fourth state championship since the 2004 posted a state runner up finish. T.R. Miller last won the state championship in 2002.
In the game Wednesday night, both teams started out slow failing to make a basket for the first 2:16 seconds of the game. But once the first basket was made by the Lady Tigers, T.R. Miller went on a 14-0 run and held Glencoe scoreless until the 1:49 mark and held a 19-1 lead at the end of the first quarter.
T.R. Miller would never look back in the game as they outscored Glencoe 12-4 in the second quarter to hold a 31-5 lead at the half.
The T.R. Miller Lady Tiger defense continued its presence in the third quarter as they held Glencoe to just three points while scoring nine to claim a 40-8 lead heading into the fourth and final quarter.
The Lady Tigers fell 15-13 in the final quarter, but the early Lady Tiger lead was just to much as T.R. Miller cruised to the win.
Jackson said after the slow start, his team began to get some easy baskets on their next trips down the court and it just broke the game open.
T.R. Miller Lady Tiger Catherine Green said she did not expect the early, fast start.
No. 2 ranked Glencoe Yellow Jacket (29-5) coach John Blackwell said his game plan against the Lady Tigers did not work to well.
All but three Lady Tigers scored in the game with Nakiya Smith leading the way with 14 points and three rebounds and four steals.
Kesha Peterson followed with nine points and Leah Brundidge added six points.
Catherine Green chipped in five points, Keydra Shedrone added four along with Shaniqua Kiser and Ashley Williams added three.
Courtney Jones, Zykeya Barton, MyNetra Boley and Janel McCorvey added two points each.
Barton led with five rebounds in the game and Greene led with five assists. McCorvey, Williams, Boley and Elizabeth Reed all had a steal each in the game.
T.R. Miller out rebounded Glencoe 32-26 in the game and held the Lady Yellow Jackets to just 17.6 percent shooting from the field while shooting 42.6 percent.
Glencoe had 21 turnovers and the Lady Tigers picked up 24 points off those turnovers.