Pee Dee Academy girls pursuing title

Katelyn Browne hit two free throws with 19 seconds left to break a 51-all tie and Pee Dee Academy advanced in the S.C. Independent Schools Association state tournament with a 55-51 win over Spartanburg Christian on Monday at Sumter Exhibition Center.

Browne finished with 15 points for the fifth straight game and also pulled down nine rebounds. C.C. Causey led the Eagles with 17 points. The win puts PDA 23-5 for the year and pits the girls against either Thomas Sumter or First Baptist at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in Sumter.

To get there, Correspondent Chris Lane writes: Pee Dee Academy's girls are no strangers to the pressures of the playoffs. They have been there before and have thrived in the big moment more than once.

So, when the conference tournament championship game came around last Monday against Trinity at Francis Marion, you would assume the defending state champions were ready.

But, 12 minutes in, it was the Golden Eagles who looked rattled and the novices, the Titans, who were taking control. A 15-2 deficit was staring Jerry Colemans team in the face and they knew they had to make a stand of get embarrassed. So, Katelyn Browne asserted herself and scored seven of the game's next nine points before the half. C.C. Causey got the other two on a baseline jumper and a 9-0 run had the Golden Eagles within four at the break.

They would continue their run into the third quarter by scoring the first six points and taking the lead. Browne again got one from down low, Katherine Rogers hit on a long two to tie the score, then Causey took one in off a steal for the lead. Browne would score four more to end the third, two down low and two more off a home run pass from Jeffre Rogers. Still, Pee Dee trailed by a pair going into the fourth.

It took three and a half minutes for the first basket of the fourt, but when Katherine Rogers did connect baseline, the game was tied. Ginni Reaves McMillan gave Pee Dee the lead with a bucket and then scored again to up the advantage to four with just over a minute to play. The Golden Eagles seemingly had the game in hand, but Molly Jones hit a trey for Trinity and then after some missed opportunities on the offensive end, she tied the game with a free throw.

Pee Dee had a chance to win in regulation, but the shot would not fall and the game went to overtime. Trinity scored the first six points of the extra frame, leaving the Golden Eagles to play catch-up. And, they almost did. But, time ran out with them still trailing by a point and Trinity stole the tournament title.

Maybe it was to Pee Dee's advantage though. Because when playoff seedings came out, they were placed in a Friday game in the friendly confines of the Sumter Exhibition Center. This just happened to be the site of last year's state championship triumph and a place where the Golden Eagles were plenty comfortable.

But, the shots simply refused to fall early. It took two and a half minutes before Katherine Rogers found the net with Pee Dee's first points to tie the game at 2. Then, Rogers would find Browne inside for a pair of scores. C.C. Causey would force a turnover with some ferocious ball pressure and would go the length of the floor for two. Six quick points forced Beaufort to burn an early time-out.

Pee Dee continued to move the ball well, but was plagued by a 7-for-26 shooting performance in the first twelve minutes and led only 16-9 following a banker by Causey. Brittany Ellis would find Kelsey Dozier down low for two to make it 20-11 Golden Eagles going to the locker room.

The intense defensive pressure wore down Beaufort, who did not score for the first seven minutes of the third. Meanwhile, Pee Dee's lead ballooned to 15 following a home run pass from Rogers to Dozier and another steal and lay-in from Causey. Beaufort freshmen, Caitlyn Cooler attempted valiantly to rally her team in the fourth.

Her 11 points in the frame did bring her team back within six with just over a minute to play. But, Jeffre Rogers, Katherine Rogers and Kali Jacobs would ice the game at the line in the final minute and would put away the 41-33 victory. With this win, Pee Dee moved on to play in this past Monday's second round match-up with #2 seed, Spartanburg Christian.