Terry Sanford girls beat top-seed South Central, off to NCHSAA 3A state championship game

WINSTON-SALEM — Terry Sanford girls basketball and first-year coach Chris Goodman pushed past top-seeded South Central 58-50 on Tuesday to become 3A East champions and punch their ticket to the NCHSAA girls 3A state championship.

Terry Sanford was crucial in all aspects of the game but excelled mightily in the rebound category, out-rebounding South Central 51-31. Rebecca Kaba, Taleah Meadows, and Breonna Roaf combined for 35 of those rebounds, and out-rebounded the entire Falcons team.

Terry Sanford (26-5) was led in scoring by sophomore Ameya Brown with 16 points, and much-needed double-doubles by Kaba who finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Roaf with 13 points and 13 rebounds.

SEVENTY-FIRST'S TICKET TO 3A TITLE:Seventy-First basketball beats Westover, wins NCHSAA 3A East title for 2nd time in 3 years

HOW THEY GOT HERE:No. 3 Terry Sanford gets the best of No. 2 Cape Fear in NCHSAA 3A playoff showdown

The third-seeded Bulldogs did a great job of holding the South Central Falcons (28-3) 12 points under their season scoring average (62), and outscored the Falcons in each quarter to keep the lead for 30 minutes of the game.

After running through the 3A East, Terry Sanford (26-5) will face the 3A West champion No. 2 West Rowan in Friday's NCHSAA 3A state championship game at 3:30 p.m. in Winston-Salem.