The Cardinal Gibbons high school girls’ basketball team falls in the state semifinals

As the underdog, Cardinal Gibbons’ game plan to slow the game down in its Class 4A basketball state semifinal against Lake Highland Prep was a good idea.

Then came the third quarter.

Mistakes led to turnovers and that led to a Highlanders’ 62-35 victory at the RP Funding Center on Thursday.

It was the Chiefs’ fourth loss in as many trips to the state semifinals in school history, including twice in the past three years. Their 35 points also tied a season low.

Lake Highland Prep’s athleticism proved too much for Gibbons (25-4) in the third quarter as it was outscored 24-4, which essentially ended the Chiefs’ bid for a state title.

“Our girls have been following game plans all year and to get to this point and they did that,” Cardinal Gibbons coach Kevin Gordon said. “Then came the third quarter and Lake Highland turned the heat up.”

The Highlanders (28-2) opened the third quarter on a 15-2 run and hit three three-pointers in the quarter after making only one in the first half.

Sharale McCormick had 13 points and Jennifer Whitlow scored 12 to pace Gibbons.

Gibbons played a deliberate, slow-paced offensive scheme in the first half and to its benefit it worked, trailing 14-13 at the half.

The Chiefs also held the Highlanders to a single basket in the second quarter, while scoring the final five points to move within one of the Lake Highland lead.

This story was originally published February 27, 2020 at 2:00 PM.