Paul VI Advances to the GEICO National Championship Game

Paul VI was victorious over Lake Highland Prep 52-49 in an overtime semifinal thriller that did not disappoint in the slightest! Both teams started off slow and with some jitters, but as the game commenced it was clear that we had two of the nation’s top teams going back and forth. Stars on both sides shined bright, and there were also flashes of greatness from nationally unknown names who are certainly known now. PVI’s victory snaps Lake Highland’s 35 game winning streak, and the Panthers will look to win the GEICO National Championship at 10AM Eastern time tomorrow on ESPN2. &nbsp; <strong>PAUL VI Panthers (VA)</strong> Led by senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="21939" first="Bella" last="Perkins"], the Panthers were clearly the faster and scrappier team, and they forced almost 30 Highlander turnovers. Duke commit [player_tooltip player_id="21932" first="Lee" last="Volker"] was incredibly solid today, as she iced the game with her final two free throws, and junior guard [player_tooltip player_id="150114" first="Alyssa" last="Costigan"] had a breakout game which has certainly put her in the power five conference recruiting spotlight. What the Panthers did not do so well in this game was overall free throw shooting. They shot less than 35% from the line which is absolutely something they will have to do better tomorrow if they’re going to be crowned national champions. Defensively, PVI was lockdown and it was a stellar team performance. They held the Highlanders to only two points in overtime, and the Panthers controlled the paint all game which was crucial. Paul VI can clearly beat any team in the nation with their fast paced and high volume play, and if they can get off to a better start early in the championship game tomorrow than they did today then there is no question that they will be this year’s national champions. Their opponent will be the winner of Westlake (GA) versus Fremont (UT). &nbsp; <strong>LAKE HIGHLAND PREP Highlanders (FL) </strong> Lake Highland’s shooting started off hot and then slowly died down as the game went on to overtime. The Highlanders’ top post players, Nyla Harris and Kayla Blackshear, were unable to get their rhythms going throughout the game as well, and it was in large part due to the smothering PVI defense. One player who was not impacted by this defense throughout the game was Highlander shooting guard Eleecia Carter. The junior sharpshooter was lights out and she was clearly the leader on the court for Lake Highland today. The Highlanders shot at a high free throw percentage compared to the Panthers, but at the final buzzer it was just not enough to get the victory. There’s no doubt that the Lake Highland Prep program has a bright future with longtime coach Al Honor, and it would not be surprising at all to see the Highlanders back at GEICO Nationals in 2022.