Ridge View girls defeated by clutch free throws in final seconds

RiKoya Anderson turns 16 years old on Tuesday.

Monday night, the Rock Hill High sophomore standout gifted herself and her teammates an early birthday present. Anderson’s free throw with 6.9 seconds left pushed Rock Hill past Ridge View 45-44 and into Saturday’s 4A Upper State championship game.

“I wasn’t nervous at all,” Anderson said, even after missing the first of two shots. “I was relaxed. I just knew I was gonna hit that second one.”

She did, putting a cap on a third-round game that was riveting from beginning to end, and contested by two physical and fast teams. Ridge View (19-7) delivered a firm pop to the Bearcats’ gut in the second quarter, building a 13-point lead, but the hosts gradually reeled in the visitors, passing them early in the fourth quarter, and then holding on in the final minute.

Madison Hendrix beat the Ridge View defense down the court to give Rock Hill (26-2) a 44-40 lead, but the Blazers halved the deficit with a layup from Armanii Grice. With about a minute left, Orr’s team tried to drain the clock, but after a timeout to set up strategy, missed a drive to the rim with 44 seconds to go. Ridge View called timeout with 31 seconds left and got exactly what it wanted, Destiny Gainey rebounding a miss for two points, while drawing the foul.

But she missed her free throw with 17 seconds to play with the game tied at 44, allowing the hosts one last chance. Rock Hill got the ball to Anderson and she barged into the lane, drawing a foul with less than 7 seconds remaining.

Anderson missed the first, but hit the second. Ridge View raced the other direction, Genell Addison getting to the rim, only for her layup to fall short. The Bearcats head to Greenville’s Bon Secours Arena to play Spring Valley at 5 p.m. Saturday.

“They played hard, they made clutch shots and they’re a very good team,” Ridge View coach Terrance Gibson said. “You can’t hold your head down playing a team as talented as they are and as composed as they are.”

Turning point

Orr’s Bearcats showed some real gumption in winning their 15th straight ball game, especially when trailing by nearly two touchdowns in the second quarter.

“We were letting the moment and their tempo get to us,” Orr said.

They clawed back into the game with a critical 8-0 run in the last minute of the first half to cut the deficit to five. Whitney Malone was key in the Rock Hill run, as she initiated or finished off a flurry of steals. Ridge View had applied pressure early, but the Blazers’ sloppiness with the ball late in the half led to three easy layups for Malone, including one off a wraparound pass from Monique Stevenson.

“Confidence in each other, we just kept pushing,” said Anderson.

“That run right there, that’s more credit to them,” said Gibson.

Critical

Ridge View’s physicality and tempo ensured a rocky first half. The Blazers pressed after made baskets and dead ball turnovers in the first five minutes. The relentless pace caused issues for Gibson’s team, but also prevented Rock Hill from getting into a first-half rhythm, especially shooting the ball.

But the Bearcats gradually turned that chaos against the visitors, forcing turnovers and empty possessions once the Blazers’ 3-point shots started drying up. The steals just before the half gave Rock Hill a blueprint for success in the second half.

Star contributions

Anderson was the only Bearcat in double figures, finishing with 13 points despite 0-for-5 shooting from beyond the arc. Rock Hill senior Madison Hendrix added six points, six rebounds and four steals. Grice led Ridge View with 13 points.

On deck

The Bearcats face Spring Valley Saturday at 5 p.m., after the Vikings battered Dorman 95-46 Monday night.

“They are the gold standard by far,” said Orr. “Couldn’t ask for a better situation.”

This story was originally published February 22, 2016 at 10:50 PM with the headline "Ridge View girls defeated by clutch free throws in final seconds."