In every win along the way to the Class 2A state basketball tournament, the Lady Eagles turned up the heat for an extended stretch, forcing opponents to go ice cold.
But patient in attacking the open spots in the zone, No. 18-ranked Woodville made sure that didn’t happen as it defeated Salado 61-50 in a University Interscholastic League state semifinal Friday morning at Frank Erwin Center.
Simply put, Woodville (32-4) was able to crack Salado’s defense like no other playoff opponent had done before.
“We weren’t rotating and moving and getting hands on the ball like we normally do,” first-year Salado coach Randy Henderson said. “We were able to force some travels, but we just didn’t get the steals and missed shots and the rebounds like we normally do. Woodville just did a better job.”
Woodville managed to do what others couldn’t - sustain offensive success against Salado’s zone.
Salado (27-10) opened the postseason by holding its area-round opponent, Karnes City, to just one first-half field goal. Next, the Lady Eagles gave up just 11 points in the second and third quarters against Hempstead. Then at last weekend’s Region IV tournament, Salado held Vanderbilt Industrial and Weimar to long second-half field goal droughts.
But against Woodville, the Lady Eagles’ defensive effort wasn’t the problem - far from it, in fact.
Salado forced 21 turnovers, including five in a three-minute stretch in the fourth quarter that saw a 16-point halftime deficit trimmed to four with 2:34 left. The Lady Eagles turned those turnovers into 14 points, helping fuel another second-half rally.
Against Salado’s half-court zone defense that had given others so much trouble, Woodville remained calm throughout and seemingly made all the right plays. That willingness to wait for the right time to attack paid off with layups and foul shots. Woodville shot 50 percent (21-of-42) from the floor and attempted 23 free throws.
Brooke Taylor, who scored 17 points, led four Woodville players in double figures.
“I just felt like if we could hold on to the ball, we were going to get enough layups or free throws to win the game,” Woodville coach Danny Buchanan said.
Woodville did just that in the first half, missing only five shots and making 70 percent from the floor. At one point late in the second quarter, Woodville made six straight baskets driving right into the Salado defense.
“It was pretty frustrating,” said Salado sophomore Brennan Boydstun, who scored 15 points and had three steals.
Salado’s defense tightened in the second half, holding Woodville to 36-percent shooting to set the stage for another late Lady Eagles surge that just came up short.
rschneider@temple-telegram.com
