GIRLS BASKETBALL REGION FINALS: The Packers edge Lakewood for their first state semifinal berth.
By BOB PUTNAM, Times Staff Writer
Published February 19, 2006
LARGO - Dee Feazell held herself together for most of the game. The Largo coach did her job, making her players feel at ease, no matter how nervous or anxious she felt inside.
At the end, though, there would be no control.
The tears came, and she could not stop them.
As the final seconds ticked away in the Packers' 47-45 overtime victory over Lakewood in the their region final, Feazell dropped to the ground and held her hands over her head.
She cried for her players, for herself, for the realization that Largo was in the state tournament for the first time ever.
The Packers (26-1) face Naples Barron Collier (29-2) in the state semifinal at 8:30 Wednesday night at The Lakeland Center.
"It's just emotional for me," Feazell said. "I've never been to the state tournament before, as a player or as an assistant coach. I think right now I'm more excited than the players. It's just an unbelievable feeling."
The game matched the county's top two public school teams and lived up to its billing. There was a big comeback and a thrilling conclusion.
Feazell, 22, knows a thing or two about games decided at the buzzer. She made a habit of producing clutch shots as a player. She knew exactly where this one was won: at the free-throw line, late in overtime, when everyone was paying attention.
With the score tied at 41, the Packers' Alexis Henry stepped to the line. She took an exaggerated deep breath and heaved the shoulders. Then she bent her knees, lifted her eyes to the rim and shot.
Swish! She hit the next one, too.
Then Henry kept getting fouled and kept making the Spartans pay by hitting 7-of-8 free throws in overtime.
"I really wasn't nervous," Henry said. "I mean, they're free throws. I shoot them all the time."
The biggest came with three seconds left to give the Packers a 47-45 lead. A desperation 3-pointer by Lakewood's Kquanise Byrd bounced off the rim.
Early on, it was the Spartans (22-6) who were in control. Muscling inside for rebounds and layups, Lakewood led 25-12 at the half. The Packers never panicked. They were down big to the Spartans in the Pinellas County Athletic Conference championship game and came back to win.
Largo did it again thanks to Chelsea Simpson, Tish Feazell and Chaunte Lumpkin, who combined for five 3-pointers in the second half. Feazell nailed one to tie it at 31 in the third quarter and Simpson made one to put the Packers ahead in their first possession in overtime.
"I didn't want to believe that we could lose a big lead like that again," Lakewood coach Necole Tunsil said. "We have a young team, and we're still trying to teach them how to become champions. We're not going to settle for being region finalists. We'll get better."
Afterward, Feazell and Tunsil gave each other a heartfelt hug. The two had a historical convergence, becoming the first two African-American coaches in the area to meet for the right to go to the state tournament.
"This was just a special game and moment in so many ways," Feazell said.
