By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director

SAND ROCK – In three previous meetings this basketball season, the Sand Rock Lady Wildcats defeated the Cedar Bluff Lady Tigers. The average margin of victory in those games was 15 points.

Their fourth meeting on Tuesday night at Sand Rock in the Class 2A, Area 13 championship game was quite different.

The fifth-ranked Lady Tigers rallied from a nine-point halftime deficit to tie the game late in the fourth quarter. Cedar Bluff, however, could never quite get over the hump in a 42-39 decision.

Sand Rock senior Maddie Clanton sank a pair of free throws with 1:08 remaining and secured a pair of crucial rebounds down the stretch that help preserve the fourth-ranked Lady Wildcats’ victory.

Clanton tossed in 17 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, but her defense was also crucial in the win as well. She held Cedar Bluff scoring sensation Kylie Vadon to just two points in the first half and 15 points for the game.

Clanton was chosen as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

“I knew we needed some big plays, and I knew my job was to step up on defense and guard Kylie,” Clanton said. “I knew my job this game was not to let Kylie score as much.”

“Maddie played hard the whole game,” Sand Rock coach Lisa Bates said. She really did a good job on Kylie. She rebounded. She scored when we needed her to. She hit some big free throws and played defense real hard all night. I’m proud of her. She deserves it (MVP).”

As Bates said, Clanton played hard from the opening tip. She scored 11 of her points in the first half, which Sand Rock (22-10) led 27-18.

But Vadon and Cedar Bluff (22-7) didn’t go away quietly.

Vadon began to find her rhythm in the third quarter. She scored nine points in the quarter, including a basket with 1:14 to go that brought the Lady Tigers within a point at 32-31. A rebound and put back by Clanton closed out the quarter with Sand Rock maintaining the lead at 34-31.

Cedar Bluff’s Ciana Smith tied the game at 39 with a basket with 2:48 remaining in the game, but just a few seconds later, she picked up her fifth foul. Smith finished with six points, seven boards, and four assists.

A pair of Clanton free throws at the 1:08 mark gave the Lady Wildcats a 41-39 lead, and a Hadlie Weaver free throw with 8.4 seconds to go provided the final margin.

Vadon had a chance to tie the game at the end of regulation, but her 3-pointer fell short. Sand Rock took possession following the miss, in-bounded the ball, and escaped with the win.

“We had some chances to go ahead, but I’m proud of this group,” Cedar Bluff coach Deidra Cox said. “I’m proud of their fight, their grit, and their determination throughout the game. We were down by nine at halftime. I just told them to keep chipping away and they did. It was the best effort, heart, and hustle that we’ve had in a while. I’m real proud of their fight. I wished we could’ve pulled it off, but sometimes things just don’t work out the way you want them to.”

Bates gave credit to Cedar Bluff for making the Lady Wildcats fight for the win.

“They came out with fire today,” she said. “They played really hard. It was tight there in that second half. It was fun. I like that kind of game. We didn’t come out as mentally focused as I like us to be, but to come out with a win this time of year is what we’ve got to have.”

Molly Grace Lay added 10 points and four steals for Sand Rock. Kaylee Burns scored six points and grabbed 12 boards. Macey Pruitt posted five points and seven rebounds.

Lay and Burns joined Clanton from Sand Rock on the all-tournament team.

Vadon also had 10 rebounds and a pair of steals to go along with her team-leading 15 points. Vana Martin managed seven points, two rebounds, and an assist. Scarlett Brown connected on a pair of 3-pointers and finished with six points, three boards, and two steals. Janaya Higgins had five points, four boards, two assists, two steals, and a block.

Vadon and Higgins were all-tournament selections from Cedar Bluff. Gaston’s Brooklynn Merriman rounded out the all-tournament team.

Sand Rock hosts Westminster of Oak Mountain in sub-regional action on Friday. Cedar Bluff will travel to Cornerstone of Birmingham, also on Friday.