By Brady Extin | The Times-Post

SELMA — Three familiar opponents. Three games decided in the final minutes. And the bright lights of IHSAA postseason play.

None of that stopped the Lapel girls basketball team from capturing their first sectional championship since 2007.

In the class 2A Sectional 40 title game, the Bulldogs completed their third-straight 10-point comeback to defeat Winchester Community 52-47.

The win was the postseason success that the team and head coach Zach Newby have been searching for.

In 2020 the Bulldogs were knocked out in the semifinals by Wapahani, in 2021 dropped the opening game to Alexandria-Monroe and last season fell in the title game to Frankton.

In the games leading up to the title this time, the Bulldogs avenged two of those losses, with come-from-behind wins over both Wapahani, 49-43, and Alexandria-Monroe, 58-56.

During the regular season, they defeated the Tigers 71-60 and Raiders 48-39 as well.

But the Bulldogs still had one loss to avenge against another familiar opponent.

Winchester defeated Lapel 66-52 to open up the season.

Over the course of the next 24 games, the Bulldogs improved, became more confident, and knew that they could win big games.

That all showed in Saturday night’s championship game.

A Reagan Riggin 3-pointer pushed the Golden Falcons lead to double-digits near the end of the third quarter — a position Lapel had found itself in all week long.

But the Bulldogs didn’t panic.

A Laniah Wills basket and Kerith Renihan three closed the gap quickly, and allowed the Bulldogs to enter the fourth quarter down just five, 39-34.

After a layup from the Golden Falcons leading scorer, Caitlyn Campbell, opened the fourth, pushing the lead to 41-34, Lapel reeled off an 11-0 run.

Deannaya Haseman knocked down a 3-pointer and layup, Maddy Poynter sank two free throws, and Wills hit two shots inside to put the Bulldogs up 45-41.

Four-straight points from Campbell tied things back up, but a three from senior Jaylee Hubble with under two minutes to play, and then free throws from Renihan and Poynter in the closing minute sealed the victory.

Wills led the Bulldogs with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Renihan added 11 points and three assists, and Poynter scored 10.

Wills, just a freshman, was key for the Bulldogs during the three-game stretch, notching a double-double in each one.

In the quarterfinals she scored 16 points and added 11 rebounds, and in the semifinals she had maybe her best game of the season given the circumstances.

She poured in 27 points and grabbed 21 rebounds to help the Bulldogs outlast Alexandria-Monroe to earn the championship bid.

The Bulldogs will face Eastbrook (19-5) in the regional championship game on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. at Lapel High School. With the new regional format, the winner will advance to semistate.