MACON, Ga. — The Woman Rams’ unprecedented rise to the highest of Class AAAAAA reached the head Saturday evening as Newton captured the state crown — the primary state title within the historical past of the ladies basketball program.
The battle for the ladies Class AAAAAA title within the Macon Coliseum arrange a fourth matchup between the Newton Rams and the Grayson Rams — Area 4-AAAAAA foes which have already confronted thrice with Grayson profitable every.
Nevertheless, Saturday was a distinct sport and head coach Jawan Bailey spoke to the variations within the groups’ fourth assembly.
“We actually talked about rebounding and protection and the way vital it was on this ambiance,” Bailey mentioned. “Groups do not sometimes shoot the ball effectively right here. So we knew if we might beat them on the glass and we might actually make it onerous for them to get attractiveness then we’d have an opportunity. That’s what we did. We out-rebounded them, I believe we did an important job on protection.
“They’re gamers nonetheless made large performs. They’re that good of a crew they usually have that good of a coach. We anticipated these issues, we dealt with them and got here out on prime.”
After speaking about how the crew’s 3-22 end two years in the past has been motivation for the crew’s present run, Bailey shared how particular the second was to be a state champion at Newton.
“It sounds superb,” Bailey mentioned. “We had targets initially of the season and certainly one of them was to attain this mountain. I do not even know the way we acquired right here exterior of the onerous work and God’s grace. It sounds actually good to be a state champion.”
Smith leads the best way….once more
– picture by Andrew Mills
In what was the ultimate sport of the season, sophomore London Smith shined the brightest as soon as once more for the Woman Rams within the playoffs.
After posting a 28-point sport within the Remaining 4 to knock off an undefeated North Forsyth, Smith discovered a strategy to do it once more.
This time, Smith helped Newton conquer Grayson’s women crew for the primary time for the reason that 2020-21 season.
The fourth version of the ‘Battle of the Rams’ proved to be the closest of the season.
Within the opening body, each groups traded baskets as they stayed neck-and-neck.
When the ultimate minutes of the primary quarter started, Grayson began to create separation with massive performs on the within.
Nevertheless, a key three-point play from sophomore Mya Perry tied the sport at 13-13 to finish the body and put an finish to the momentum Grayson was starting to have.
Grayson nonetheless discovered a strategy to have the sting early within the second quarter, although.
After going zero-for-four from past the arc within the first quarter, Grayson was excellent from the three-point line within the second body because it transformed back-to-back threes to begin it.
Grayson went on to seize what proved to be its largest lead of the day within the second quarter once they stretched out to a 22-16 benefit.
However nonetheless, Newton didn’t go away as massive performs from Perry and Smith saved the Rams in it.
After Smith gave the lead again to Newton with a layup, the Rams compelled a blocking foul on Grayson on the opposite finish. This foul allowed Newton to have the lead at halftime and appeared to chop all of the momentum down from Grayson.
– picture by Andrew Mills
The third body began off gradual for each squads, however Newton discovered a strategy to break it open halfway via the body with back-to-back pictures from Smith and Zoey Jackson.
Jackson’s three-pointer put Newton forward 35-29.
Newton went on to guide 48-44 on the finish of the third quarter, however Grayson ended the body with a bang.
Within the ultimate seconds, Grayson’s Tatum Brown transformed the and-one on the buzzer to cut back Newton’s lead all the way down to 4 as an alternative of seven.
When the fourth quarter started, a gap three from Liyah Williams trimmed the lead all the way down to just one for Grayson.
The groups continued to commerce baskets and possessions all the way down to the ultimate minutes as Grayson searched for giant pictures to place them over the sting,
Nevertheless, Smith and Perry continued to seek out methods to get the ball down the courtroom and to the rim which allowed Newton to maintain its lead simply out of attain.
With a three-point deficit, Grayson had yet another probability with 12 seconds left to tie the sport.
Grayson managed to maneuver the ball down the courtroom and get it to the fingers of Williams on the prime of the important thing, however the junior’s shot banked off the rim.
Because it hit off the rim, Newton’s bench went right into a frenzy as their dream of changing into a state champion grew to become a actuality.
Fourth time’s the appeal
Every sport between Newton and Grayson in 2025 acquired nearer and nearer earlier than Newton in the end grabbed the sport that mattered probably the most.
After losses of 52-76 and 51-76, Newton got here very near knocking off Grayson within the area match, however fell 44-50.
Newton’s 59-56 win over Grayson on Saturday marked solely the third time in program historical past that the Woman Rams reached the state title sport.
Newton had reached the state championship in each 1963 and 2018, however fell in need of internet hosting the trophy each occasions.
Smith’s double-double leads the stat sheet for Newton
Smith as soon as once more led the Woman Rams on the stat sheet because the sophomore tallied 23 factors, 11 rebounds and three assists for the double-double within the state title sport.
After what many thought-about a breakout yr for the sophomore, Bailey was very happy that Smith acquired to point out her abilities on the largest stage within the state.
“I’m tremendous proud that the state of Georgia now is aware of who London Smith is,” Bailey mentioned. “They did not learn about her final yr due to the damage. A variety of the preseason stuff that she noticed did not have her title on it and affected her in a approach that I believe gave her a chip on her shoulder. Man, she put the state on discover that she is without doubt one of the greatest guards within the Class of 2017.”
Behind Smith was Camille Recordsdata with 10 factors. Perry and Desiree Davis completed with eight and 7 factors, respectively.
– picture by Garrett Pitts
For Grayson, the scoring was led by Brown with 16 factors to go together with six rebounds. Coco Randolph and Zoie Loftin adopted with 15 and 11 factors, respectively.
Two Woman Rams performed for Bailey through the 3-22 season, and Newton’s head coach spoke about how particular it was to him to have them expertise the state title run.
“Two children particularly, Jazmine Flournoy and Alissa Sandifer, these are the youngsters which have been right here since day one,” Bailey mentioned. “Man, simply giving them a hug and letting them know the way proud I’m of them persevering via all of the ups and downs we needed to undergo to get to now.”
