Mustangs fall in semis

PALMETTO — Lakewood Ranch High girls basketball coach Tina Hadley felt pretty confident heading into the locker room at halftime.

With her team only trailing top-seeded Palmetto by nine points, Lakewood’s game plan appeared to be working to some extent.

Hoping to slow the game down, Hadley told her players if they focused on boxing out, rebounding and, most importantly, controlling the ball, the game was theirs for the taking.

But although the plan sounded good in theory, the Lady Mustangs were unable to account for the Lady Tigers potent full-court press. Palmetto forced the fourth-seeded Lady Mustangs into 32 turnovers on its way to a 58-40 victory in the Class 6A-District 12 semifinals Feb. 1.

“We knew … to win the game, we could not afford to turn the ball over,” Hadley said. “I thought we did a great job in the first half with ball management. Second half — I don’t know what happened. They weren’t doing anything different. We just panicked under pressure, and we turned the ball over.”

Lakewood (10-14) kept the game close for most of the first half and eventually pulled within a point to open the second quarter. The Lady Mustangs trailed 33-24 heading into the locker room at halftime.

But the Lady Tigers (20-2) took control in the third quarter, as the Lady Mustangs made just two baskets. Lakewood sophomore Emily Bulfin scored a layup in the opening seconds of the third quarter and hit a three-pointer late in the period.

Palmetto sealed the game in the fourth quarter, as the Lady Tigers went on a 12-0 run in the first two-and-one-half minutes.

Senior Gabriella Diaz-Granados finished with a team-high 16 points, and Bulfin added 14 points to lead the way for Lakewood, which played most of the season with only seven players after losing three to injuries.

“The season was a good learning experience for the younger girls,” Hadley said. “They have had to grow up fast.”

“All season we’ve had the one-two punch,” Hadley said. “I expect a whole lot of people to step up to the plate next year.”

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].