Lady Tigers face Abbeville today in regional final

Sitting on the bottom bleacher at Straughn’s gym Friday afternoon, Lady Tigers senior Audrey Driver watches as her teammates run through a practice drill.

Driver, as she’s done all season long, will be providing a second set of eyes today for the Class 3A South Regional Finals, where her Lady Tigers will play Abbeville at Dothan’s Civic Center.

Simply put, SHS needs to win today’s game to punch its ticket to play in the Final 48 Championships next week in Birmingham.

For Driver, who hasn’t played because of an injury she suffered at season’s start, it’d mean a lot to the team to get back to the Magic City.

“They’ve worked really hard for it,” she said. “It’s really a fun experience when you go up there. It’s something I’ve always looked forward to even though I can’t play in it.

“Just to be put there with them and be a part of the team, it would mean a lot to me,” she said.

Straughn defeated Daleville 38-31 in the regional semifinals on Thursday to get to today’s game, where tipoff is slated for 12:20 p.m. The second-ranked Lady Tigers used a strangling defense and made free throws late to pull away.

Abbeville is a different animal all together.

The Lady Yellow Jackets (19-6) like to apply full court pressure in a 2-2-1 scheme throughout the game.

“Their offense starts with their defense,” SHS coach Scott Kinsaul said. “They try to get as many steals and layups as they can.”

That was especially the case during the regional semifinals after Cottage Hill’s point guard went down with an injury. AHS came back from a 14-point deficit to pull out the 73-58 win.

Kinsaul said the Lady Yellow Jackets didn’t remind him of any previous opponents, but noted that they are quicker than Southside Selma.

“They play hard,” he said. “We’re going to have to handle their pressure. If we’re going to win, it’s because we’ve handled their pressure.”

The two key players for AHS are freshman guard Nakia Kincey and sophomore guard Jasmine Griffin, who scored 55 of their team’s 73 points in the regional semifinals.

“It’s been like that all year,” Kinsaul said about the pair of threats. “One or the other has been the leading scorer. They’re the two best players on the team.”

Today’s game will be the second meeting between the two in the last two years. SHS beat AHS 48-29 in last year’s regional semis.

This will be a better match up for the Lady Tigers, as far as familiarity is concerned, Kinsaul said.

“We know what they’re going to do,” he said. “We know how they’re going to operate.”

Driver said she’s learned a lot from watching Kinsaul from the sideline and understands now why the girls have to play a certain way.

“When you’re out there playing, it’s one thing to try to do it, but when you watch it and watch it, you understand what plays you’re trying to do,” she said.

Driver said using a good inside game could be the difference today.

“I’m excited and ready to see how they do,” the senior said. “I just hope they play with a lot of heart and play hard. They’re going to have to really get after it if they want to beat them.”