Madison County’s 12-and-under all star girls’ basketball team has brought some impressive hardware to Danielsville — a state championship trophy.
The squad traveled to Habersham County March 2-3 to participate in the Georgia Recreation and Parks Association’s 12 and Under State Tournament and left with the crown.
Their opening game Friday night was against the District 6 representative, Walton County. The teams played evenly throughout the first half, with Madison County claiming a four-point lead at 15-11 after one quarter, and held on to that lead at halftime, going into the locker room up 35-31.
The final 30 seconds of the third quarter turned a tight ballgame into a comfortable Madison County lead. Aaliyah Hall drained a 3-pointer with less than 30 seconds in the quarter and A’Dryana Maxwell banked in another 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded. Madison County held a 55-42 lead going into the final quarter. They had their most explosive quarter of the tournament, scoring 25 points, and advancing to the second round with an 80-47 win. Hall led the way offensively with 28 points. Jordan Bailey and McKenzie Tyner scored 16 apiece and Maxwell added 14. Cloie Dickerson scored two points and Breanna Strickland added a free throw.
The second round opponent was the District 2 champion, Douglas-Coffee County. This was a very physical game against some good-sized 12-year-old girls. Madison County held another four-point lead after one quarter, 15-11, but pushed their lead to nine at the half, 36-27. Madison County athleticism allowed them to begin to pull away in the third as their lead increased to 53-37 going into the final quarter. Madison County advanced to the championship game with their 66-44 semifinal win. Tyner led the scoring with 23 points, followed by Hall’s 22 points. Bailey scored 13 points, Maxwell added four, Dickerson added 2 and Emily Bartlett and Strickland added a free throw each.
The championship game pitted Madison County against Murray County, the District 5 champion. Murray County gave Madison County a bit of a scare as they hopped out to a 9-3 early in the first quarter, but Madison County never got rattled as they battled back to take a slim 10-9 lead after one quarter. Madison County pulled out to a seven or eight point lead in the second quarter, but Murray County’s three-point shooting kept bringing them back as Madison County still clung to a one-point lead at halftime, 30-29. In the third quarter, Madison County put a half-court man-to-man defense on Murray County’s sharpshooters, and that defense paid off, holding Murray County to nine points in the quarter, and extending the Madison County lead to 45-38 with one quarter to play for the state championship.
Madison County fans could finally breathe easier with about two minutes to play as Madison County finally widened the lead to double digits and won by a final score of 59-46. Hall led the offense again and finished with 27 points. Tyner tossed in 12 points, Bailey added 10 and Maxwell had eight points. Dickerson scored two points.
This win gave Madison County the Georgia Recreation and Parks Association’s 12-and-under girls state title.
“This is the first state championship for the Madison County Recreation Department’s girls’ basketball program, and we can’t express how proud we are of the players,” said recreation department director Robin Pendleton. “Madison County had a good fan turnout to support the team in all of their games, and their positive encouragement really helped keep the team’s momentum going.
