Goff limps back into lineup, Blackman girls sprint into region finals vs. Riverdale

Cecil Joyce
Murfreesboro Daily News Journal

Blackman senior Jaleah Goff wasn't feeling any pain Monday night.

Just over a week removed from a major ankle sprain that would have been season-ending for most, Goff limped off the bench and played numerous minutes in helping the Lady Blaze knock off fourth-ranked Stewarts Creek 51-47 in the Region 4-AAA semifinals at Oakland High.

"Nothing was going to make me (sit out)," said Goff, who had just removed her walking boot a day earlier after suffering the sprain during the District 7-AAA semifinals on Feb. 17. "I never considered missing out."

Blackman's Jaleah Goff reacts after her squad's 51-47 win over Stewarts Creek in the Region 4-AAA semifinals Monday.

The Lady Blaze win puts them in the region finals and locks up a sectional berth after missing out the past two seasons. Blackman ended Stewarts Creek's two-year string of sectional appearances.

More:Murfreesboro area region basketball tournament scores, pairings

Blackman will battle top-ranked Riverdale in Wednesday's finals (7 p.m. at Oakland). The Lady Warriors pulled away in the second half to defeat Oakland 64-36 in the other semifinal.

"I think having to play at Shelbyville (in the region quarterfinal Saturday) gave us confidence," said Blackman coach Jessica Jackson. "The environment there prepared us for what we saw tonight."

Riverdale (31-1) is in the sectional for the third consecutive year after winning the Class AAA state title the past two seasons. The Lady Warriors have played Blackman twice this season, winning 70-52 and 83-42.

It's the first time the two teams have met in the postseason since Riverdale's 73-66 upset over a Crystal Dangerfield-led and top-ranked Lady Blaze in the 2016 region semifinals en route to the first of the two Lady Warrior state titles.

But to get there, Blackman had to exorcise some Stewarts Creek demons first. The Lady Blaze had lost to the Lady Red Hawks three times already this year, but the last two were by a combined six points, including a 43-41 setback in the 7-AAA semifinals.

That was the game Goff suffered the high ankle sprain.

"It's about 60 percent," said Goff, of her ankle after the game. She said she didn't even notice during the contest. "Once my adrenaline got going, I didn't care about the ankle. My team is more important than my ankle."

Added junior teammate Nia Vanzant, "She really loves all of us. She was limping at practice and had ice on it, but she loves all of us and puts the team before herself."

More:TSSAA denies Eagleville complaint of alleged scoring errors in region loss at LEAD Academy

Jackson was glad to have her leader back on the floor in time for the team's biggest game of the year.

"She moved a lot quicker than she did in practice," Jackson said. "She was set on playing. She knew it could be her last game. I knew in my gut if I gave her a chance (to play), she would give it all she had. It shows her maturity. Resilient is all I can say about her."

Oakland's Claira McGowen (11) goes up for a shot as Riverdale's Jalyn Holcomb (23) defends her on Monday, Feb. 26, 2018, during the 4-AAA Regional semifinals at Oakland.

The loss spoiled a huge night by Stewarts Creek senior Jamya Rogers, who tallied 25 points, including two free throws that put the Lady Red Hawks (23-5) ahead 47-46 with just 27 seconds left.

However, following an untimely Creek turnover, Blackman's Jaida Bond completed a three-point play with 12 ticks left and Blackman secured the win by forcing another turnover.

Bond finished with 18 points while Vanzant added 16 for Blackman (18-13).

Miss Basketball finalist Brinae Alexander led Riverdale with 21 points while Sloan Mann paced Oakland (19-10) with 13. The Lady Warriors led by just 12 midway through the third but pulled away in the final 12 minutes.

Lady Eagles eliminated: Eagleville dropped a 79-45 decision to Moore County in the Region 4-A semifinals to end their season at 20-11.

Reach Cecil Joyce at cjoyce@dnj.com or 615-278-5168 and on Twitter @Cecil_Joyce.