A near-perfect performance at the free throw line helped Glasgow Christian upset top-ranked Heritage Christian Academy 38-30 Saturday in the KCAA Region One championship in Glasgow.
Glasgow hit 19-of-21 free throws, including 14-of-15 in the fourth quarter to hold off HCA for the region title.
Rachel West hit a 3-pointer to begin the game for HCA only to see Glasgow score the next nine points. Glasgow led 13-5 after one quarter and 18-10 at halftime.
Chelsea Dortch heated up in the third quarter, scoring seven points to help bring HCA to within 22-20 heading into the fourth quarter.
HCA led 25-22 with just over seven minutes left and then unwittingly began to put Glasgow at the free throw line. And that’s where the game began to unravel. Glasgow went on a 10-0 run, eight of those at the free throw line, to take control of the game. HCA would get no closer than five points the rest of the way.
West and Dortch each scored 15 points for HCA and were both named to the All-Tournament Team. Hope Flournoy and Abbi Bullock each pulled down six rebounds.
Tournament MVP Heather Whitlow hit 12-of-12 free throws and finished with 18 points to lead Glasgow, who had lost two games by a combined 36 points to HCA this season. The loss snapped a 13-game winning streak HCA had against KCAA competition.
The loss also means HCA misses out on a first-round bye at the KCAA State Tournament despite a 10-0 conference record in regular season play. The KCAA awards their top four seeds to the region champions for the state tournament.
HCA (20-9) will play Cornerstone Christian of Region Three in a state tournament play-in game Monday at Warrior Gym. A win by the No. 5 seed Lady Warriors moves them into Thursday’s quarterfinals at Asbury University against No. 4 Community Christian. HCA did not play either of those teams in the regular season.
The semifinals and championship game will be Saturday at Asbury in Wilmore.
