For nearly the game's first 29 minutes the Potomac School Panthers led for significant segments and were doing what was necessary to upset the top-seed and 16-time defending champion St. Paul VI Catholic Panthers.
Then, over the final three minutes, a number of things changed as fourth-seed Potomac School lost, 52-46, in a seesaw semifinal contest of the girls Division I Virginia private-school state basketball tournament at the Benedictine School near Richmond on March 1.
The game produced seven lead changes and four ties.
Potomac School (21-9) retook its final lead at 46-45 with 2:41 to play on a three-pointer by freshman guard Sabrina Anderson. The team didn't score again, getting outscored 7-0 the rest of the way - all on foul shots - to suffer a season-ending loss. Potomac School missed three shots over the final 2 minutes and was on the other end of a couple of disputed officials' calls that caused turnovers.
Plus, key starter and top defender Zora Burrell (eight points, eight rebounds, one steal) fouled out with 1:24 to play.
"Foul trouble hurt us in the second half and we were called for a moving screen on an inbounds play [with 43 seconds left and trailing 49-46] that we didn't agree with," Potomac School coach Krystal Ferguson said. "Sabrina was wide open for a three-pointer and that's the play we had set up when the foul was called."
After the foul, Paul VI made two foul shots to move ahead 51-46 with 33 seconds left and went on to win.
Paul VI lost the next day in the championship game to the second-seed Bishop Ireton Cardinals, 56-52.
"Our primary game plan was to limit their three-pointers and play fast. We were right there where we wanted to be," Ferguson said. "We needed to make more shots."
The state semifinal appearance was Potomac School's first in program history.
"Our girls did great and we will learn from this," Ferguson said.
Potomac School led by as many as 11 in the second period and was ahead at the end of each of the first three quarters, 14-7, 24-40 and 34-33. Potomac School had an 11-0 run to close the first quarter.
Anderson had 17 points, six rebounds, three steals and three assists for Potomac School and she made five three-pointers. Julia Anderson and Catherine LeTendre (eight rebounds) scored eight each. Zoe Myslewicz had six points and five boards and Margit Crittenberger had four rebounds and a steal.
Of all of those players, only Myslewicz is a senior. She will play at Division III Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., next season. The rest are scheduled to return to Potomac School next winter.
Potomac School was 1-1 in the state tourney, receiving a first-round bye then hosting and defeating fifth-seed St. Anne's-Belfield, 63-58, in the quarterfinals.
NOTE: The state-tournament appearance was the third straight for Potomac School, which was 0-1 in the competition the past two seasons.
