Eagles grind out upset of top-seeded Gates County

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on March 6, 2015 1:48 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

FAYETTEVILLE -- Division I recruits Lexi Mercer and Kaila Ballard, who have combined to score more than 3,400 points during their respective prep careers, more than lived up to their billing Thursday evening.

Each turned in a phenomenal performance on the Crown Center court. But one player turned Rosewood's destiny on a dime at the perfect time.

Alyssa Garrison picked off a lob pass in the closing seconds and the Eagles upset the top-seeded Red Barons, 56-54, in their semifinal-round game of the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1-A eastern regional.

Rosewood (23-3 overall) meets Martin Riverside in a rematch of last year's regional championship won by the Knights. Tip-off is 2 p.m. Saturday inside the Crown Center.

The Eagles and Red Barons (25-2) each had the intention of containing the other team's star player. Mercer collected 35 points, pulled down seven rebounds and blocked four shots. Ballard registered an eye-popping double-double -- 40 points and 21 rebounds. She scored 14 points on offensive putbacks, including two traditional three-point plays.

"That Ballard girl can flat out play, there's no doubt about it," RHS head coach Rick Grantham said.

Mercer and Ballard accounted for more than two-thirds of the total points scored in the game. Senior point guard Krystal Yelverton and Jala Holloman contributed 11 and seven points, respectively, as the Eagles claimed their eighth postseason win their last nine outings.

Gates senior guard Alaysia White knocked down 10 points before fouling out late in regulation. Just four Red Barons scratched in the scoring column.

"Number two (Mercer) is a great player," fifth-year Gates County head coach and alum Keli Boone said. "I told my players going into it (the game) not to try to stop her, but try to contain her."

Mercer, Yelverton and Holloman spearheaded an 8-2 run to end the third quarter. Holloman banked in a layup, Mercer drained a 3-pointer off of a Yelverton steal and assist, and connected on another 3 as the buzzer sounded.

Rosewood led 44-39.

"It definitely gave us some momentum and when we get momentum, we're hard to stop," Mercer said.

Ballard's offensive putback closed the gap to 44-43 with 5:50 to go in regulation. The Eagles finally discovered an offensive rhythm and put together a 12-2 run, capped by Holloman's layup off of Yelverton's steal and assist.

But the Red Barons weren't done -- particularly Ballard.

The burly forward began crashing the offensive glass again and single-handedly pulled Gates County to within 56-54 with 1:31 on the clock.

"It's hard for us being the size that we are to go up against a big girl like that," Mercer said. "She definitely has more meat on her bones than any of us, so we have to have help side (defense) and it's hard for us to step up to that."

Each team combined for critical turnovers and missed pivotal free throws during an 86-second span. Ballard's offensive rebound on Mercer's missed free throw gave the Red Barons one last chance to either win in regulation or force overtime with 5.6 seconds on the clock.

Mercer tipped away the initial inbounds pass.

The clock showed 4.9 seconds.

Aware Ballard would receive the ball, Mercer face-guarded her when she heard a Gates player call for the lob. Ballard got the ball, turned to attack the basket and Garrison swiped it from her.

Garrison raced toward the RHS basket and time expired.

"I just think it was a mental error, don't think she did anything wrong," Boone said. "We kind of got caught up in the moment. She thought she was going to be in a spot that she wasn't and it didn't fall in our favor tonight."

In the past 12 months, five Rosewood teams -- two in girls' basketball and wrestling, and baseball -- have made appearances in the regional championships.

"We're proud to represent our school and our community, and I think they did a great job," Grantham said. "Here's the key. The kids go out there, battle their tails off, everything they had they laid it out there (on the court) just like they do every single night.

"They're in control and I'm just here to help. They got it done."