Business-like Jaguars one win from state title game
Knowing that the regional press conference would force him and his top assistant to miss practice Monday, Forestview head coach Ken Beaty left a list of instructions with assistant coach Lenora Crabtree.
He wasn’t surprised to find out later that seniors Shannon Smith and Kelsey Harris added to the list.
“That’s a sign of leadership and how bad they want it,” Beaty said.
Smith, Harris and the business-like Jaguars need one more win to reach the state title game for a second straight year. Forestview (25-2) will face North Iredell (23-2) Saturday at UNC Greensboro’s Fleming Gymnasium for the 3A Western Regional championship. Tip off is at noon.
Ever since they lost by two points in the state title game last year, Smith and Harris have been on a mission to bring home the first-place trophy. That explains the lack of celebration after Wednesday’s 76-52 win over Charlotte Catholic. Expect a similar reaction if the Jaguars win again Saturday.
Forestview has won its four state playoff games by an average of 36 points, and it’s hard to imagine the Jaguars running into a team better than anybody they’ve already handled. Hickory entered the sectional semifinals with three losses but left with a 100-74 spanking. Freedom was 23-4 before falling behind early in a 70-31 blowout. And MEGA 7 3A/4A champion Charlotte Catholic took a sparkling 25-3 record into Wednesday’s regional semifinal.
“I think we’ve definitely played some quality teams, but I just think we’ve peaked at the right time,” Beaty said.
Both of North Iredell’s losses came against Lake Norman, a 4A team that lost to East Mecklenburg in Thursday’s regional semifinals. North Iredell lost the first meeting 50-44 and dropped the second one 54-51. Forestview beat the same team 69-48 in its season opener.
Beaty is most concerned about North Iredell’s athletic point guard, Deese Singletery, who averages 16.5 points and 3.6 assists.
“They’ve got a quick point guard who can finish, but she looks to drive and dish, which makes it tough,” Beaty said. “She’s their leading scorer, she handles the ball, she penetrates and scores and dishes. So that’s a big concern.”
As a junior, Singletery is starting to draw serious recruiting attention and could wind up at a small Division I college, North Iredell coach Tami Ramsey said. Singletery scored a season-high 36 points in the second-round victory over Harding.
Sophomore guard Bri Johnson (13.1 ppg) and junior guard Emory Haynes (11.2 ppg) also score in double figures for the Raiders. Haynes caught fire in Wednesday’s come-from-behind win, nailing five 3-pointers during a four-minute stretch on her way to 22 points. Haynes finished 7-for-11 from long range.
Smith, Forestview’s UNC-bound point guard, is coming off a 29-point, seven-assist effort. She averages 22.5 points and 7.3 assists. Harris, an Elon signee, averages 15.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.0 steals. Freshman forward Bre Armstrong (15.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg) turned in her seventh double-double Wednesday, finishing with 18 points and 10 rebounds.
Forestview has won 18 straight. Its only losses came to Huntersville Hopewell, a 4A team that reached the sectional finals, and Matthews Butler, which will play for the 4A Western Regional championship Saturday.
Saturday’s 3A Western Regional winner will face the Eastern Regional champion for the state championship the following Saturday at UNC Chapel Hill’s Smith Center. The Eastern representative will be Havelock, Westover, South Central or Union Pines. South Central and Union Pines played in the first 3A Eastern Regional semifinal Friday. Havelock will face Westover on Saturday. The regional championship is set for 3 p.m. Sunday at Greenville Rose High School.
You can reach Phillip Gardner at 704-869-1843.
