CHARLESTON, W.Va. – It was Abby Beeman’s night on Wednesday.
The talented Frankfort junior guard, who averages 25 points per game, hit five 3s on the night and drove to the lane in the game’s final seconds to score the Falcons’ game-winner in a 53-52 thriller over No. 4 Bridgeport in the Class AA quarterfinals.
“I wanted some picks set so that I could turn the corner if I got a little bit of an edge, maybe one step,” Beeman said. “I got loose, split the double team at the top and then from there it was just a layup for me.”
Beeman’s go-ahead bucket came with 4.9 seconds to go. Bridgeport followed with a missed shot at the buzzer, clinching Frankfort’s spot in the semifinals.
“I’m glad she decided to take over there in the second half for us,” said Frankfort coach Michael Miller. “She tries to get her teammates involved and a lot of people don’t see that. She looks to pass first, not shoot.
BEEMAN’S GAME-WINNER:
“They played her pretty well in the first half – and that’s a credit to them,” he continued. “Abby’s desire to win is second to none. Her passion, her will and her effort took over in that second half. I think we wore them down and that’s when she can really do some damage.”
Beeman led all scorers, finishing with 26 points, six assists and five rebounds.
“She’s a great player all around,” said Bridgeport junior Emily Riggs of Beeman. “She can break you down with the dribble or she can shoot three or four feet outside the college line. If you stay back too far, she can shoot (from 3), but if you get too close, she can break you down on the dribble and drive to the basket.”
Riggs led Bridgeport (18-8) with 20 points in the loss, going 8 of 13 from the floor.
The Indians led 24-22 at the half and held a seven-point lead with 4:23 to go in the third quarter before Frankfort made its run.
Makenna Douthitt added nine points and nine rebounds in the win for the Falcons as well.
Frankfort (19-7), which defeated defending state champion Fairmont Senior in regional play, moves into Friday’s semifinals where it will face No. 1 North Marion at 1 p.m.
“We were really motivated to beat Fairmont Senior in regionals,” Beeman said. “I think maybe when we got here we were stuck on that win a little bit and we came out kind of flat. But somehow we pulled out the win (Wednesday over Bridgeport) and that’s all that matters.”
The Falcons fell to North Marion back on December 9, 80-76.
“It’s been a long time ago, but we’re familiar with them,” Miller said. “Both teams are a little different now than we were back then. We’re the underdog, we like playing that role. It doesn’t matter to us. We’re here, it’s March Madness and everyone has a chance – so why not us?”
POSTGAME: