Knights fall in return trip to final four
BIRMINGHAM – For the second time in three years, The Westminster School at Oak Mountain girls basketball team advanced to the state final four.
Even though the Knights came up short in the Class 1A semifinal, falling 66-48 to Phillips, Westminster head coach Dana Gache said she was happy with how her team competed.
“It was a really good game where both teams really hustled,” she said. “We represented the state of Alabama and girls basketball very well.”
The first few minutes of the game were a little choppy, but the Knights found their legs quickly, turning a 9-3 deficit into a 15-11 lead following a quarter of play. Many of the players on the floor were significant contributors when Westminster made the semifinals in 2017.
“(Previous experience) helped us to be stable,” said junior Megan Gache. “We came on the court and said, ‘we got this.’ It helped us prepare.”
Fellow junior Morgan White led the way for Westminster offensively. Outside of White, the Knights struggled to hit shots throughout the contest, but White scored 25 points and secured 12 rebounds. She also grabbed four steals.
“The first time we were here, we were freshmen, playing against a really good team like we were today. We were up in that game, but being that young, you get really excited,” White said.
The Knights extended the lead to 19-15 midway through the second period, but Phillips (25-10) put together a 14-2 run to claim a 31-23 lead. Phillips extended its lead throughout the third period, but the Knights got it down to an eight-point deficit with six minutes to play.
“It’s just a testimony to the scrappiness of our girls,” Dana Gache said. “We had to put some younger players in because we got in foul trouble, but those girls gave it their all.”
Westminster finished the season with a 21-9 overall record, upsetting No. 1 Pleasant Home in the regional semifinals during its postseason run.
“It’s very hard to get back (to the final four),” Dana Gache said. “Don’t take it for granted.”
The Knights will graduate three seniors in Tori Deen, Macy Mixon and Rachel Price. Dana Gache credits them with helping build the program over the last several years.
“They have been such a rock for us in building this team,” she said of the team’s three captains. “We’ve got huge shoes to fill.”
For Westminster, Megan Gache finished with seven points, pulled down 12 rebounds and blocked three shots. Price scored six points, and Mixon pulled down nine rebounds in the contest. Misty Dishner led Phillips with 28 points.