Class 3A: Father Lopez 50, Calvary Christian 41

Wed. February 20, 2013 at 1:28 p.m. | By Rick Brown

By RICK BROWN | THE LEDGER

LAKELAND | For a little more than two quarters, Clearwater Calvary Christian and Daytona Beach Father Lopez girls basketball teams were involved in a battle of which style was better in their Class 3A state semifinal contest Wednesday.

Calvary Christian was determined to shoot the long ball, hoisting 35 3-point attempts. Father Lopez was content on going inside or scoring off of transition.

For a while, no team could grab more than a three-point lead.

But Father Lopez senior Simone Brown was determined her high school career would not end at that time.

Brown scored 16 of her game-high 19 points in the second half to lead the Green Wave to a 50-41 victory over the Warriors.

With the victory, Father Lopez advanced to today’s final where it will play Miami Country Day. The game is scheduled to start at 8:05 p.m.

“We needed points,” Brown said. “So I did what I needed to do.”

What the 5-foot-11 senior did was start going inside and using her size to her advantage.

Trailing 25-22, Brown scored the next eight points for Father Lopez, then assisted on another basket as the Green Wave went on a 10-0 run to take a 32-27 lead.

Calvary Christian got as close as five after a steal and lay by Carley Plentovich made it 43-38 with 2:18 to go.

But the Green Wave hit seven of 10 free throws to close the game and advance.

In addition to Brown’s 19 points and 14 rebounds, Shannon Cranshaw added 14 points and six assists, while Ashley Folsom added 13 points and 13 rebounds.

Plentovich led Calvary with 17 points in the school’s first state semifinal appearance.

“I’m proud of the girls for getting here,” said Calvary Christian coach Brooke Sibert, who started three freshman and a junior. “It was a team effort. There’s a new tradition for Calvary Christian basketball. I look forward to the next few years.”

FATHER LOPEZ (50) – Ashley Folsom 3-10 7-8 13, Chanel Coco 1-1 0-0 2, Alexis McMullin 0-0 0-0 0, Aril Panaggio 1-6 0-0 2, Shannon Cranshaw 5-9 4-7 14, Simone Brown 8-17 2-5 19, Chandler Ferguson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-43 13-20 50.

CALVARY CHRISTIAN (41) – Rachel Mostert 2-8 0-0 4, Carley Plentovich 6-26 1-4 17, Kasey Howard 2-8 1-1 7, Carolina Andreassen 3-17 0-0 9, Savannah Pelntovich 1-9 1-2 8, Caitlyn Dollar 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 14-68 3-7 41.

Father Lopez          7    11    16    16  --  50

Calvary Christian   7    11      9    14  --  41

3-point field goals: FL 1-6 (Brown 1-4, Panaggio 0-1, Cranshaw 0-1); CC 10-35 (C. Plentovich 4-12, Andreassen 3-13, Howard 2-5, S. Plentovich 1-5). Technical Fouls: None. Fouled out: None. Rebounds: FL 45 (Brown 14); CC 39 (S. Plentovich 8). Assists: FL 13 (Cranshaw 6); CC 11 (S. Plentovich 6). Records: Father Lopez 26-5; Calvary Christian 25-3.