COALMONT, Tenn. – The 2-seed Cascade Lady Champions (13-13, 4-4) are left to rue late-game mistakes following Saturday’s heartbreaking 60-59 (2OT) loss in the District 9-AA Championship Game against the 1-seed Cannon County (19-6, 7-1) despite never trailing in regulation.

Up by two points, 51-49, with just 3.8 seconds left in the first overtime following a turnover by the district MVP, Abi Alexander, Cascade was unable to inbound the ball and called a timeout. The only problem was that the Lady Champs had just used their final timeout immediately after Alexander dribbled the ball off of her foot, prompting a technical foul and sending Alexander to the free-throw line with a chance to tie the game. With shades of Chris Webber from the 1993 National Championship game, Cascade’s ill-timed timeout eventually cost the Lady Champions their first district championship since 1990, but not until the second extra-session after the Lionettes were unable to get a shot off to end the first overtime. 

In the second OT, the Lionettes were the beneficiaries of an atrocious illegal screen call against Cascade’s Sophie Ray with just 23.4 seconds left and up by just a single point. Alexander connected on both ensuing free throws, and after Cascade went for the two-pointer with just 1.5 seconds left, Cannon County was able to inbound the ball and secure their second-consecutive district championship.

Freshman of the Year Lizzie Keele was the best player on the floor for 42 minutes on Saturday night, scoring a career-high 25 points on 10-15 shooting to lead Cascade. Senior Sophie Ray chipped in with 16 timely points of her own to go with eight rebounds while Kaydence Miller scored 10. Kaegan Young finished with just six points on the night, but she dished out six assists, blocked three shots, and swiped three steals in an impressive all-around effort.

Alexander led all scorers with 29 points on 10-18 shooting for the Lionettes while Addie King also eclipsed the 20-point mark, putting in 22 of her own to go along with eight rebounds.

Cascade controlled the game from the opening tip, jumping out to a 17-10 lead after the opening period. Miller knocked down a pair of early three-pointers while Keele punished the Lionettes defense with strong drives to the basket for easy layups. Janie Demonbreum’s squad was locked in on both ends, moving the ball from side to side on offense with precision and quickness while giving Alexander and King everything they could handle on the defensive end. Miller did an excellent job defending Liv Prater in the post after she scored 12 points against Cascade in the previous meeting between the two teams.

In the second quarter, Cannon County alternated between a 2-3 zone and man-to-man in an attempt to stymie the Lady Champs’ offensive rhythm, and it worked just enough for the Lionettes to nibble into the Cascade lead. After the Lady Champs took a 10-point lead, 21-11, Cannon County closed out the final five minutes on a 13-6 run. Cascade held a meager 27-24 lead at halftime.

Coming out for the second half, Cascade picked up their intensity to first-quarter levels, outscoring the Lionettes, 14-10, to take a 41-34 lead going into the final frame after Keele banked in a one-legged three-pointer from the right wing. Incredibly, Janie Demonbreum’s squad was playing this well despite not making a single substitution in the entirety of regulation, perhaps sensing her starting-five was in an incredible rhythm and flow all night, and it seemed like this decision was going to pay off in the program’s first district title in 34 years. 

However, in the fourth quarter, the Lionettes showcased their championship mettle. After a Sopie Ray drive-and-finish with 6:45 left to go up 45-36, the Lionettes hunkered down, closing the final frame on a 10-1 run over the final 6-plus minutes.

Sophie Ray (5) lays in two of her 16 points in the 4Q of the D9-AA title game.

David Smith

Despite this, Cascade still held a 46-44 lead with 17.9 seconds remaining after Alexander connected on a pair of free throws. Unfortunately for the Lady Champs, a turnover by Kaydence Miller on the inbounds pass directly under their own basket gifted the Lionettes with an opportunity to tie the game. Alexander drew a foul on Miller, and promptly tied the game at 46 after she calmly connected on both free throws. 

Keagan Young had an opportunity to win it on the ensuing possession, but her 15-foot pull-up came up just short with less than five seconds left, sending the game to overtime.

In the extra session, Alexander gave Cannon County their first lead of the night, 48-46, on their first possession of the period with a driving layup. Cascade uncharacteristically settled for four consecutive three-point attempts on their next four possessions, but the Lady Champs’ defense held the Lionettes scoreless on the other end. Eventually, Young split a pair of free throws with 1:16 remaining, and after she forced a tieup on the ensuing Lionettes’ possession to give the ball back to Cascade, Keele connected on a driving layup with 47.7 seconds to go to put the Lady Champs back on top, 49-48. 

After Kaegan Young was whistled for her fifth personal foul, Addie King split a pair of free throws to tie the game with 30.6 seconds to go. On Cascade’s ensuing possession Kaydence Miller seemed to atone for her turnover at the end of regulation with a baseline floater off the glass to put Cascade back in front, 51-49, with 9.2 seconds left. Then came the haunting phantom timeout, allowing Alexander to inexplicably send the game into a second overtime.

Without their primary ball-handler and leader on the court in Young, Cascade looked to Lizzie Keele to continue her career night. Keele opened the second overtime with a layup, then split a pair of free throws. After the Lionettes took a 58-56 lead, Keele was again fouled on a drive, sending her to the line with 23 seconds to go. She split another pair of free throws, and after King connected on a pair of her own, Cascade was unable to score again until there was just 1.5 seconds left, allowing the Lionettes to escape with their second-consecutive district title, 60-59, under the most extraordinary circumstances.

The Cascade Lady Champions holding their District Runners-Up Plaque on Saturday night.

David Smith

Cascade will host Lewis County on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. LIVE on The Zinger 100.9 and AM 1400 in the Region 5-AA Quarterfinal.