Canton, OH -- For the first time since 2020, the West Branch girls basketball team found themselves back in the regional final, just one win away from advancing to the state tournament. Standing in their way was a very talented Laurel team that entered the matchup ranked fourth in the entire state of Ohio. Unfortunately, a cold third quarter proved costly for the Lady Warriors, as they ultimately fell to the Gators, 53–41.
However, the Gators responded quickly, scoring four points just a minute into the second quarter to tie the game at 13. From there, both teams began exchanging baskets in a tightly contested battle. The lead changed hands several times throughout the quarter, but Laurel managed to take a narrow 26–25 advantage into the locker room at halftime.
West Branch has responded well out of halftime many times this season, and early in the third quarter the game was tied at 28. However, that's when Laurel began to take control. The Gators went on a 7–0 run to spark a big quarter, holding the Warriors scoreless for a long stretch before Alli Kanay finally broke the drought with a free throw.
There was still hope with West Branch trailing by just 10, but a buzzer-beating three-pointer by Laurel pushed the lead to 42–29 heading into the fourth quarter, and the Warriors were never fully able to recover.
Despite the deficit, West Branch continued to battle. The Warriors even outscored the Gators 12–11 in the fourth quarter, but it wasn't enough as their outstanding season came to an end with a 53–41 loss.
West Branch Scoring
