Aberdeen Girls Basketball Team loses State Final

The Aberdeen High School Lady Eagles basketball team lost the state championship Saturday night in a hard fought battle fraught with foul trouble.

The Frederick Cadets beat the Lady Eagles 76-71 at the University of Maryland Baltimore County on the strength of senior guard Lynasia Frazier’s quickness and junior guard Lauren Tolson’s aggressive hands on the full court press.

“Turnovers killed us,” Aberdeen Coach Stacy Liles said. “Someone has to go home losing, unfortunately tonight it’s us.”

The Lady Eagles finished their season 23-2. But during the final quarter Brianna Jones barely touched the ball and both junior point guard Lakeia Hayden and sophomore forward Jimmia McClucksky fouled out.

“Defense wins the game,” Liles said.

Still, each of the girls played hard.

Jones scored 27 points and grabbed13 rebounds in the 8 p.m. game. McClucksky scored 13 points and got seven boards. Junior Nia Alleyne added 12 points and seven rebounds to the effort.

“I couldn’t ask for any better than what they gave,” Liles said of the team. “They worked hard all season.”

Frederick Coach Keivette Hammond said she told her players to run the floor and limit Jones’ shot attempts.

“We like a fast pace,” Hammond said. “Our game plan was to speed it up.”

But the Frederick seniors didn’t think the much younger Aberdeen team would be able to compete so well.

“I’m so surprised. I didn’t expect for it to be so close,” Frazier said “We’ve been in this situation plenty of times during the season and we’ve prevailed.”

Anaya Stewart, Aberdeen’s only senior, was disappointed, but not broken.

“It was fun. But I wish it wouldn’t have ended like this,” Stewart said.

The Lady Eagles received the MPSSAA 3A state-semi final trophy after the game.

“I’m proud of them,” Liles said of the Lady Eagles. “They’re great athletes. They’re great students.”