Sherman came into the Class D Far West Regional Champion Game in Girls Basketball with a record of 21-1, among the best records in the state.
But not better than the undefeated Elba Lancers, who remain perfect on the season after Saturday's win, 54-48, propelling them to New York's Final Four Tournament at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy starting on Thursday.
The overtime win gives the #1 ranked Lancers a 23-0 record.
Near the end of the third quarter, Elba trailed Sherman by 10 points but charged back, carried by Brea Smith, who scored 13 points in the final 12 minutes.
Elba took a 42-39 lead, but Sherman hit a buzzer-beater to tie the game and send it to overtime.
Scoring for Elba:
- Brea Smith, 20 points
- Sydney Reilly, 14 points
- Mariah Ognibene, 11 points
- Maddie Hall, 8 points
This will be the Lancer's second consecutive Final Four appearance. They face Northville at 4:15 p.m. on Thursday. With a win, they would play for the championship on Friday. This will be a chance for Elba to settle a score with Northville, who knocked Elba out of the Final Four last year, 42-34.
Photos by Debra Reilly.
