By Erik Harris
TRUSSVILLE – They couldn’t find the lead all night. At least not until Bailey Berry made a pair of free throws with 50 seconds remaining in the game.
The two makes gave the Lady Huskies a 67-66 lead over Mortimer Jordan that would never be lost.
The visitors led by nine at the half and six after three quarters of play, but Hewitt-Trussville found a way to stay unbeaten and advance to the championship game of the Bryant Bank Thanksgiving Classic with a 68-66 win Monday night.
“I’m so glad that we got a chance to have a game like this because we wanted to see if we could come from behind,” said Lady Huskies head coach Tonya Hunter.
Hewitt-Trussville (6-0) has played with leads all season. The Lady Blue Devils were the first team to back Hunter’s girls into a corner, and the result was promising.
Senior Cayla Dillard was moved from point guard to shooting guard late in the contest to give her more opportunities offensively, and she took advantage.
Dillard went 2-for-2 from behind the arc in the final frame on her way to a 20-point evening.
“We took her off the ball because we needed to score and she opened it up for everybody,” Hunter said. “(Dillard) started hitting, then Berry hit a couple threes and then it opened it up for (Gabby Hill) to drive and kick to (Kimberly Duffett).”
Hewitt-Trussville will play in the tournament championship game Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Bryant Bank Arena.