By BAKER ELLIS / Sports Editor

MONTGOMERY – The bid for a Final Four berth ended one game short for the Montevallo girls basketball team, as the Lady Bulldogs fell to Sipsey Valley on Feb. 25 by a final score of 59-37.

From the start of the game, it was obvious Sipsey Valley had a significant size advantage, and used it to their advantage repeatedly, as the Lady Tigers never trailed in the game. An early Lauryn Lilly bucket made the score 4-2 early in favor of Sipsey Valley, but the Lady Tigers then promptly went on a 16-2 run that spanned the first and second quarters to take a 20-4 lead that Montevallo could not bounce back from.

For Sipsey Valley, Queen Ford and Charity Brown led the way all game. Ford finished with 25 points and 17 rebounds and dominated inside all day, and was name the MVP of the 4A Central regional tournament. Brown finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists as well.

Lilly was the lone offensive bright spot for the Lady Bulldogs, as she finished with 26 points on 9-for-19 shooting, and was responsible for 70 percent of the Lady Bulldogs’ total offense. She was the only Montevallo player who scored more than four points in the game, as Takila Hill was the second-leading scorer for Montevallo with four points.

Montevallo finished the season with a 25-8 record and an appearance in the 4A Elite Eight. For the second year in a row, the Lady Bulldogs have advanced farther than any girls team in the county.