ATHENS — The Portsmouth Lady Trojans appear to be focused on something. Oh yeah. A state championship.
Making the girls’ basketball Final Four a second straight season, Portsmouth downed the Fairland Lady Dragons convincingly 63-40 and will now play for the Division 5 state championship against Norwayne in a 10:45 tip-off at the University of Dayton Arena.
Norwayne (25-3) beat Columbus Aftricentric 49-40.
Portsmouth (26-1) was led by Sienna Allen and Daysha Reid with 20 points each and Keke Woods with 10 points. Allen also had 9 rebounds while K.K. Mays had 5 boards.
Fairland (21-6) suffered from a cold shooting performance. The Lady Dragons made only 13 of 47 shots from the field for 27.6 percent and 7 of 23 from behind the arc for 30.4 percent.
Addyson Cornell scored 10 points with Isa Taliaferro and Bailey Russell netting 8 points each. The Lady Dragons were averaging more than 65 points a game.
After Reid hit a 3-pointer to start the game, Taliaferro answered with a triple of her own and the game was tied at the 6:33 mark.
Portsmouth then took off as Allen sank 2 free throws, Reid hit another trey, Woods made a layup and Allen made a layup and a long 3-pointer and the lead was 15-3.
Russell’s 3-pointer at the 2:37 mark put a halt to the run but Portsmouth finished the quarter with a 7-2 run and it was 22-8.
The Lady Trojans continued to distance themselves as they outscored Fairland 14-4 and led 36-12 after a layup by Reid off a nice pass from Allen.
Ava Layne hit a trifecta for Fairland but Hayven Carter made a layup and Allen hit a 17-footer at the buzzer and the lead was 40-15 at the break.
Layne converted a 3-point play at the 4:40mark of the third quarter and it was 46-23 only to have Reid hit a baseline jumper and Woods a layup for a 52-25 lead and the Lady Trojans were never threatened.
Fairland 8 7 15 13 = 40
Portsmouth 22 18 18. 5 = 63
FAIRLAND (21-6): Taegan Leep 0 1 0-0 3, Isa Taliaferro 2 1 1-1 8, Addison Godby 0 1 2-2 5, Kamryn Barnitz 0 1 0-0 3, Bailey Russell 0 2 2-2 8, Siera Pemberton 0 1 0-0 3, Addyson Cornell 4 0 2-3 10, Stella Whitley 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 13-47 7-8 40. 3-pt goals: 7-23. Rebounds: 22 (Godby 7, Cornell 4). Assists: 9 (Godby 6). Steals: 7 (Taliaferro 2, Russell 2). Turnovers: 16. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: None.
PORTSMOUTH (26-1): Sienna Allen 5 2 4-5 20, Daysha Reid 5 3 1-2 20, Keke Woods 5 0 0-2 10, Hayven Carter 3 0 2-2 8, K.K. Mays 1 0 0-0 2, Salem Allen 0 0 1-2 1, Bry Shannon 0 0 2-4 2, Sky Mays 0 0 0-0 0, Savannah Cantrell 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 19 5 10-15 63. Rebounds: 28 (Si. Allen 9, K. Mays 5). Turnovers: 14. Fouls: 9. Fouled out: None,
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