Osbourn Park celebrate after their 64-29 regional championship win over Gainesville. It's their seventh win in a row and fourth over the Cardinals.
(photo via Helen Jones)
The Osbourn Park Yellow Jackets played their third game in four nights on Friday. They'd show no signs of fatigue, winning 64-29. It was their seventh win in a row and their third regional championship in three seasons.
Gainesville would be without their top player, junior guard Madison McKenzie. Despite her absence, the Cardinals kept things competitive in the first quarter. Senior guard Kennedy McCala would break the ice with an early basket. Osbourn Park sophomore center Alex Brown would assert herself early, answering with an offensive rebound and putback.
Senior forward Kori Cole would steal the ball and outlet it to senior guard Alana Powell who found Brown for two and a 6-2 OP lead.
Brown would score again off another assist by Powell, amassing Osbourn Park's first eight points with 3:28 left in the opening quarter. I caught up with her to discuss that immediate impact.
"It felt good to give my team that push. Last time versus Gainesville I didn't have my best game. I just wanted to leave it all out on the floor. The energy of the crowd gave us the energy to win tonight," said Brown.
That energy would be buzzing through the Osbourn Park gymnasium all night, a strong show of support right ahead of the state playoffs.
Brown would finish with 12 points, 5 rebounds and 1 steal. Osbourn Park head coach Chrissy Kelly spoke on her efforts.
"There's a lot of pressure on these kids. AB looks like she's 25, but she's still 15. It's a maturation process. She needs to know she has the support. We've gone to her a lot more and she trusts in herself because we trust her. She's able to play her game."
OP would end the first with a 12-8 lead.
Senior Yellow Jacket guard Danielle Darfour would be fouled early in the second quarter and make her first of two free throws. OP would unfortunately commit a lane violation, nullifying her second one. Alana Powell would soon after find junior guard Angie Yann for a three-pointer, Yann's first of two from deep and one of Powell's 6 assists.
Alana Powell sinks a free throw, going 4-4 from the charity stripe on the night.
(photo via Helen Jones)
Powell was far from done, stealing and scoring less than 20 seconds later, adding a free throw in for good measure and a 19-10 OP lead with 6:12 left in the first half.
She would add another steal and score, followed by a Kori Cole defensive rebound and coast-to-coast finish at the other end to increase their lead to 26-12 at the 3:45 mark.
The Cedar District Player of the Year would continue to dominate, scoring 11 of her 21 during the second quarter. Gainesville responded with a 7-0 run to get within 11. Powell countered by capping off the half with a jumper as time expired to give her team a 34-21 lead.
Freshman guard Jayel West would look to pass to Alana Powell for three. The senior guard would draw a foul and sink all three free throws. West would then steal the ball and dish it to Danielle Darfour for two. Darfour would pickpocket a Cardinal guard and convert the basket, putting her team up 41-21 only a minute into the half.
A scary moment occurred when Jayel West was diving for a loose ball and collided with a Gainesville player, causing a minor back injury. Osbourn Park athletic trainers, head coach Chrissy Kelly and West's mother gathered by her to check on her. She'd get helped up moments later to the delight of everyone in attendance and even return later in the game. I got a chance to check on her afterwards.
"I was a little shaken up, but I did some exercises with our trainer and felt better after."
I also inquired about where her steely resolve comes from, as she never seems frazzled by anything.
"It comes from all the preparation and practice. I'm just am always like that naturally."
Alana Powell cuts down a piece of the net following the team's third consecutive regional championship. She'd total 21 points on 8-16 shooting, adding 6 assists, 4 steals and 3 rebounds.
(photo via Helen Jones)
Despite the stoppage in play, Osbourn Park would remain laser-focused. They'd rack up five assists over the next five possessions with the final one being a Kori Cole assist to freshman Samia Snead. It would finish off a 20-0 run in less than four minutes. A Kennedy McCala three-pointer would end the Cardinals' scoring drought and be their only points of the quarter.
With seconds left in the third, Samia Snead pushed the ball up the court. She dazzled fans with a wrap-around bounce pass to fellow freshman Keyarah Rainey as the buzzer sounded and OP up 56-24.
Snead was not done impressing the OP crowd, snagging a rebound and taking it all the way with a crafty scoop layup and a 61-25 advantage. She'd also score the team's final points with a three-pointer with 1:35 left in the game.
Osbourn Park seconds after the final buzzer sounded.
(photo via Helen Jones)
Osbourn Park head coach Chrissy Kelly gathered her thoughts after the game.
"They were down a tremendous player in Madison McKenzie, but were well-coached throughout. I'm happy it went the way it did. I'm grateful for my principal and my athletic director. They really have pushed for the student body to be here. They showed up and showed out. It made all the difference, and that's why you play for homecourt advantage."
Alana Powell spoke to that homecourt advantage as well.
"Coming in tonight and seeing all of our family and friends as we cut the nets down- just that atmosphere being at home, it really helps us want to go harder. It shows how much our school loves each other."
But with a whole week in between games, I asked Coach Kelly if there's a worry of losing focus.
"Until we know who we are playing, it's hard to lock in. But once we come back Tuesday for practice and we have more details, that's it. There's a lot we can fine-tune until then and get better at in the mean time."
The endgame is not lost on Powell as the state playoffs approach next Friday.
"I love my team and am super proud of what we did tonight. Doing this for my team, my school and my family- I want to be able to complete something that's bigger than myself."
Game Notes:
- Osbourn Park's next game Friday night will return to the pre-Covid format of having states at a neutral site which has yet to be determined.
- Alex Brown committed two fouls with 3:47 left in the first quarter, but remained in. She wouldn't be called for any other fouls the rest of the game.
- OP's 20-0 run in the third quarter brings their streak of games with a 16+ point run to five straight.
- The Osbourn Park defense forced 28 turnovers, including 15 steals.
- The Yellow Jackets shot 25-48 (52%) and 4-20 (20%) from beyond the arc.
- Both teams shot 6-12 from the free throw line.
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