CRESTVIEW — Powered by Nadia Fingall’s 24-point effort Choctawhatchee High School took down Crestview 54-44 in girls basketball Tuesday night.
Fingall, a 6-foot-3 junior, got off to a hot start scoring the first seven points of the game as the Indians (20-1) took a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
Crestview-Choctaw girls basketball photos>>>
“They played a little bit better for quarters tonight,” Indian coach Don Brown said. “I’m proud of where we are at right now getting ready to go into the post season.
“I’m excited about the way are a playing. We shot the ball a lot better tonight and we defended better than the last time we played them. Overall we pretty much did a good job.”
Sophomore K.K. McTear, who led the Bulldogs in scoring with 15 points, put Crestview on the scoreboard with 4:47 left in the first quarter.
By that time the Bulldogs (10-9) were fighting an uphill battle they wouldn’t win. But Crestview did make things interesting. Jensis Coleman led a Bulldog charge in the final minutes of the first quarter scoring five points as Crestview cut the Choctaw lead to 14-11 at the end of the first quarter.
Fingall had nine points in the first quarter. Gabby Brown scored Choctaw’s other five points in the period.
Fingall added 11 more points in the second period as the Indians stretched the lead to 33-21 at the half. Brittany Rollins, the only other Indian in double figures on the night, scored five points in the second quarter.
Fingall and the Indians continued to dominate the second half. Choctaw led 44-28 at the end of the third quarter.
The biggest Indian lead of the night was 52-33 with 3:53 left in the fourth quarter. But the Bulldogs wouldn’t go away.
Crestview trailed by 18 points with 1:38 left in the game but the Bulldogs scored the last eight points to pull to within 10 at the buzzer.
Crestview coach Kathy Combest put a positive spin on the loss.
“I play them to get better,” she said. “I don’t know if anybody has played them better than we have the last two games. They beat us by 10 and they beat us by one.
“We play them and we are not going to stop playing them either.”
McTear was the only Crestview player in double figures. She was followed in scoring by Malaysia Moore’s six points and Coleman’s five points.
Email News Bulletin Sports Editor Randy Dickson, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Fingall lifts Choctaw past Crestview (PHOTOS, VIDEO)