By Staff
Andrew Garner
Andalusia Star-News/Special to the standard
MOBILE – The T.R. Miller Lady Tigers will have the opportunity to defend their Class 3A state title this week after defeating Abbeville 57-47 in the South Regional championship game at USA’s Mitchell Center on Saturday.
T.R. Miller (26-2) got off to a good start late in the first quarter, where Leah Brundidge capitalized on her team’s pass execution on the inside for critical lay ups.
Nakiya Smith led T.R. Miller with 20 points and Brundidge added 18.
T.R. Miller led 26-21 at the break and kept a 39-36 lead at the end of the third quarter.
Abbeville coach Moses Knight Jr. said the difference in the game for his team were “missed shots.”
The Lady Tigers of T.R. Miller was 29-of-44 from the free throw line and shot 14-of-30 from the field.
Abbeville (24-7) was 7-of-22 from the free throw line and was 19-of-57 from the field.
In the fourth quarter, the Lady Tigers went on a 6-0 run early to help seal the win.
Jackson said his team did a great job carrying out the game plan on Saturday.
On Wednesday, the Lady Tigers will play Madison Academy at 9 a.m. in the semi-final round at the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center with the chance to play  for a repeat Friday.
The game will be a rematch from last year’s class 3A state championship game that the Lady Tigers won 53-50. Madison Academy is 34-3 this season.
Asked whether going to the state tournament gets old, Jackson said that it stays fresh.
Also in the class 3A girls Final Four will be Sumter County (24-3) taking on Holly Pond (28-6) at noon on Wednesday.
The two winners in the semifinal games will play for the state championship Friday at 6 p.m.