Defensive was key in Baldwin’s’ dominant win over Fayette County in the Class AAAA semifinal this past Saturday.
The Bravettes limited their mistakes and took advantage of the Lady Tigers’ miscues en route to a 55-32 win, sending them to a second consecutive championship game at the Macon Centreplex on Wednesday night.
Fayette County had 19 turnovers, with 17 being steals by Baldwin. During the game, especially in the first half, the Lady Tigers struggled to get the ball up the floor as the Bravettes had an aggressive game plan on defense.
Senior guard Madison Ruff led Baldwin with six steals. Throughout the first quarter, Ruff was relentless in her effort to take the ball out of her opponents’ hands, leading to points on the other end of the court for her team.
It also helped that a trio of Ruff’s teammates made an effort to match her defensive prowess. Senior Jasmine Williams, senior Morgan Ruff, and junior Kassidy Neal all had three steals each in the lopsided win.
When Fayette County could get the ball down the floor, it was hard to score, especially down low in the post. Baldwin junior forward Janaye Walker had five blocks, one more than the Lady Tigers had as a team.
Baldwin led Fayette County 14-3 through the first eight minutes. Not much changed in the second quarter, with the Bravettes out-scoring the Lady Tigers 16-7 to hold a commanding 30-10 advantage at the end of two.
The Bravettes let up the defensive pressure a little in the third quarter as Fayette County scored a game-high 15 points, but still trailed 43-25 heading into the final period. That’s when Baldwin dialed it back up.
The Bravettes closed out the fourth quarter with ease, cruising to their 23-point victory over the Lady Tigers. They didn’t shoot well from the field at 39 percent, but their defense backed up their offense that day.
Walker finished with an impressive stat line. The junior contributed 12 points, six rebounds, three assists, one steal, and five blocks. Neal was also productive with 11 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and three steals.
Madison Ruff scored eight points, along with five rebounds, one assist, six steals, and two blocks. Morgan Ruff and Williams each added seven points, while senior JaMya Easley totaled five points in the semifinal round.
Next up, Class AAAA’s top-ranked Baldwin (28-2) will face No. 2-ranked Hardaway (27-4) in the state title game. The Lady Hawks of Columbus defeated North Oconee 57-44 on Saturday to advance to the final.
Last season, the Bravettes lost to rival Griffin in the state final, so they hope for a better result this time around.