The Rock Bridge girls lead the St. Joseph Angels 8-6 at the end of the first quarter of the Class 5 state semifinals game. The Bruins scored the first points of the game on a layup and proceeded to lead the entire quarter.
Sophomore Amaya Williams scored with less than a second left to go on an in-bounds pass to give Rock Bridge a 21-19 lead at halftime. Senior Andrea Seabaugh leads the Bruins in scoring with five points and has also grabbed five rebounds. St. Joseph senior Patrice King leads all scorers in the game with 12 points and two rebounds. The Bruins shot 46.2 percent from the field in the first half while the Angels shot 54.5 percent.
The Rock Bridge Bruins lead 41-34 after the third quarter at Mizzou Arena. The Bruins took a 37-26 lead after sophomore Amaya Williams made two free throws, missed her third, then got the rebound and scored a layup. Then, the Bruins came up with a steal and scored again. However, the Bruins gave up an intentional foul with 2 minutes to go and the Angels closed the lead to 37-34. The Bruins scored a couple of baskets to extend the lead to 41-34 entering the fourth quarter.
The Rock Bridge Bruins advanced to their first championship game in school history after beating the St. Joseph Angels, 55-42. Sophomore Amaya Williams led the Bruins with 19 points. The Bruins outscored the Angels by 11 in the second half to pull away for the victory. The key to the victory was turnovers as the Bruins forced 16 turnovers and scored 24 points off the turnovers. Senior Claire Schaeperkoetter scored 15 points while dodging foul trouble most of the game. The Bruins play Incarnate Word at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow at Mizzou Arena. If the Bruins win tommorow night, it would be the first basketball state title in school history.
Girls' Class 5 semifinal
Incarnate Word upset previously undefeated Hickman Mills 60-48 in the other Class 5 girls semifinal. The winner of the Rock Bridge-St. Joseph Academy game faces the Red Knights in the championship game at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow at Mizzou Arena. Incarnate Word led 24-13 after the first quarter and never looked back extending the lead to as many as 19 with 4:49 left in the first half. Red Knight junior Kayla Person led all scorers with 17 points.