The Chapel Hill High girls’ basketball team will take on a familiar face when they play for its second consecutive 3-A state championship tomorrow. The Tigers will face the Hickory Tornadoes, the same team they defeated last year 69-56 for the state title. Chapel Hill coach Sherry Norris says Hickory is a fast team.
“They’re extremely quick,” said Norris about the Tornadoes. “They play a tough pressure defense like we do. So we’re going to have to be able to rebound in order to get a fast break going. At the same time, we’re also going to have to control the boards defensively.”
Just like last year, Hickory enters tomorrow’s game undefeated at 26-0. They’ve won 25 of those games by double-digits. Chapel Hill guard Tamia Eatmon says this year, the Tigers are a younger team that isn’t as experienced in the postseason. But they have overcome.
“I think this year, we had more people that have never been here before,” said Eatmon. “So we just had to get them past the first game (in the playoffs) and kind of just take control of it. We just wanted to let them know it was just another game and there’s nothing to be scared of.”
Tigers guard Raziyah Farrington was named the Eastern Regional Most Valuable Player and says Chapel Hill derives much of its success by dictating the pace of play.
“As leaders, it’s our responsibility to control the tempo and control the team,” said Farrington, who was taught by Norris in kindergarten. “We also have to control our nerves. We came (into the playoffs) more confident and more relaxed. We knew we weren’t ready for our season to end. Right now, it’s all or nothing.”
WCHL will have complete coverage of Chapel Hill versus Hickory for the state championship tomorrow live from Carmichael Arena. Coverage starts at 5:00.
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