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The Chelsea Hornets outscored Spain Park 29-20 in the second half of first-round area tournament game on Monday, Feb. 3 to earn a spot in the area championship game and a spot in the sub-regional round of playoffs. (For the Reporter/Robert Dean)

By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Publisher

CHELSEA – Leading by two points early in the third quarter, the Chelsea Hornets made the decision that their season wasn’t going to end on Monday night, Feb. 3 in front of their home crowd.

Jordan Garcia became a big reason why, as the young playmaker for the Hornets, along with senior leader Aiden Owens, helped spark a 12-0 run that became the defining moment in a 52-39 win to advance to the area tournament title game and sub-regionals.

Garcia scored eight of the team’s 12 in that 12-0 run, while Owens had the other four, ultimately building a 45-31 advantage that visiting Spain Park never could overcome.   

Out of the gate, the Jaguars showed more fight than they did in the 19-point loss to the Hornets less than two weeks earlier by storming out to a 9-5 advantage.

Neither team, however, sustained a large lead in the first half.

The Jags, who started hot with an and-1 and two 3-pointers, quickly relinquished the lead when Chelsea hit a three of its own that sparked an 8-1 run and a 13-10 advantage for the Hornets late in the opening quarter.

Spain Park, however, did have one more bomb from downtown saved up as Harrison Stewart buried a 3-pointer at the buzzer to even the score at 13-13 heading to the second quarter.

The Jaguars carried that momentum into the second period, scoring the first two points to regain the lead, but Chelsea then followed by taking a four-point lead of its own at 19-15.

In a low-scoring second quarter, neither team had a chance to build a big lead, as the Jags responded with another 3-pointer, but Chelsea was able to hold a four-point lead at the half after a free throw and offensive put back from Owens near the buzzer to make it 23-19 at the break.

Spain Park quickly cut the deficit to two points on the first basket of a much higher scoring third quarter, but most of that scoring came from the Hornets.

That was largely because Garcia caught fire. The young star for the Hornets helped spark a 12-0 run, scoring eight himself with four coming from Aiden Owens.

That helped Chelsea open up a double-digit lead at 35-21.

Spain Park, however, did have an answer, using a 6-0 run of its own to draw back within eight points at 35-27.

But the deficit was too large for the Jags.

Chelsea built the advantage back up to 12 early in the final period and coasted to the win from there with consistent free throw shooting and strong defense down the stretch.

The Hornets were led by 18 from Owens in the win, while Garcia finished with 14 points. AJ Malone added seven points in a game that saw seven players score for Chelsea.

Spain Park was led by 12 from Harrison Stewart.

Chelsea will now take on Helena Wednesday night at 6 p.m. for the area title.

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