Gwinnett Daily Post

SNELLVILLE - Back during summer workouts, the Parkview girls basketball team listed winning the region tournament as one if its goals.

The Panthers are now just one win away from realizing that as Parkview knocked off rival Brookwood 47-31 Friday night in the semifinals of the Region 8-AAAAA tournament at South Gwinnett High School.

The win puts Parkview (23-3) in tonight's region title game at 6 p.m. against Central Gwinnett. Parkview, which split the season series 1-1 with the Black Knights, will be gunning for its first region title since 2000.

"Brookwood is well coached and their kids are very disciplined and tonight was a great game for us because it pushed us to do the things we know we need to do," Parkview head coach Mike McCoy said. "They got into us a little bit in the first half but in the second half, we did a much better job of limiting them (Brookwood) to one shot."

Parkview's defense set the tone early by allowing just three points in the first quarter. Brookwood was able to stay close as the Panthers scored just nine points in the period.

Brookwood (9-17) got its offense going in the second as Shaina Mussman hit two 3-pointers and Courtney McLane and Autumn Adams each were good for four points to help the Broncos cut the deficit to 25-20 at the half.

The third quarter began with Parkview's defense picking up where it left off in the first quarter by holding the Broncos to six points. Things got even tougher in the fourth for Brookwood as the Bronco offense mustered just five more points, allowing Parkview to pull away.

"This was something we set as a goal, making it to the region final," Parkview guard Sczeny Hartry said. "Everything we've been doing, game to game, has been leading up to this point."

Hartry finished the game with nine points and three assists while Lauren Coleman led all players with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Brookwood was led by McLane with nine points while Mussman finished with eight points.

Parkview also held a decided advantage in free throws by hitting 16 of 25 while Brookwood was just 7 of 13 for the game. The Panthers had the edge in rebounds by grabbing 36 while Brookwood pulled down 20.

Brookwood will play Berkmar this afternoon at 3 p.m. for third place, leaving Parkview and Central to do battle for the region crown.

"We beat them at their place and they beat us at ours so it's a situation as to which team is going to bring its A-game," McCoy said. "Both teams have done what they needed to do to get here and we'll just have to play it out and see."