Lakewood advances to title game

The Lakewood Ranch girls basketball team is one step away from turning it's unfinished business mantra into a state championship. 

The Mustangs beat Niceville 47-29 in today's first Class 7A state semifinal to advance to tomorrow's state championship game. Lakewood will face the winner of the other semifinal between Winter Haven and South Broward. Tip-off for tomorrows contest is set for 4 p.m., at the Lakeland Center. 

Today's state semifinal may have tipped off at an unusual time with Lakewood taking the court at 10 a.m., but that didn't stop the Mustangs faithful from making the nearly 74 mile trip to the Lakeland Center. Lakewood brought two fan buses full of students to the game, creating an atmosphere similar to that of a home game behind the Mustangs bench. 

Niceville got off to a fast start, scoring the first basket of the game on a 3-pointer and taking a 7-4 lead midway through the first quarter. Lakewood responded with a pair of baskets by India Searls, as the Mustangs took a 13-8 lead to close out the first quarter. 

Behind a stout defensive effort, led by senior guard Elise Spiller, who was tasked with guarding Niceville guard Jessie Day, the Mustangs held Niceville to just four points in the second quarter and scoreless through the first five minutes of the fourth quarter. 

"My defense was amazing, coach Tina Hadley said. "We knew the key to win this game was to stop No. 23 (Jessie Day) and we gave that hard task to Elise Spiller, and I thought she excelled well at it. She was the key to their offense." 

Junior forward LaDazhia Williams led Lakewood with 13 points and seven rebounds.  Spiller added 11 points. Kyra Klarkowski contributed nine points and a team-high 14 rebounds. India Searls added eight points and nine rebounds.