Trinity Christian girls basketball advances to state tournament with 59-53 win over PCA

Murfreesboro Daily News Journal

MURFREESBORO — Miss Basketball finalist Olivia Lee scored a game-high 26 points and the Lady Lions held off a fourth-quarter Providence Christian Academy rally to defeat the hosts 59-53 Friday in the DII-A quarterfinals.

The win puts the TCA (25-5) into next week's TSSAA state tournament at Tennessee Tech, where it will play in the state semifinals on Friday afternoon.

PCA took a 51-50 lead with 2:27 left in the game after having trailed much of the half, but TCA outscored the hosts 7-3 down the stretch. Camdyn Maxfield's 3-pointer with 2:08 remaining gave Trinity the lead for good.

Providence Christian (18-11) led 28-19 late in the second quarter but the visitors trimmed the lead to 30-27 at halftime.

TCA then dominated the third quarter, taking a lead as big as six before going into the fourth with a 45-41 advantage. The lead stretched to 48-41 early in the fourth.

The Lady Lions then caught fire, as layups by Abby McFarland and Bella Hardison and two free throws off a steal by McFarland cut the lead to 48-47.

Bella Hardison led Providence Christian with 13 points while Abby McFarland scored 12 and Mia Alexander 11.

TCA's guard Camdyn Maxfield (5) snd TCA's forward Jayden Maddox (24) both celebrate with the rest of the team after beating PCA during the Girls Division II-A State Quarterfinals at PCA in Murfreesboro, on Friday, Feb. 25, 2022, and advancing to the State Tournament.