By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Something had to give. Unfortunately, it South Point gave but only because of a freak incident.

Jalynn Bradburn was driving uncontested for a game-tying layup when the whistle blew. A player for Huntington St. Joe was on the other end of the court with a nose bleed and play was stopped.

The Pointers missed the shot after the inbounds play, they were called for a foul, and the Huntington St. Joe Lady Fighting Irish hit their free throws en route to a 74-69 win and the SJI Gold Bracket championship.

“They have a talented team and we do, too. It was a great game,” said Lady Pointers’ coach Dave Adams.

“There were some things that happened that you don’t expect, but I was proud of the way our girls played. They were bigger than us and our girls battled them on the boards.”

The Lady Irish held a 36-31 advantage as Terra Stapleton had 13 rebounds and Sara Sang 10. Allison Mitchell grabbed eight while Kimmie Bennett and Jalynn Bradburn had seven each for South Point.

Bradburn had the big game offensively with 36 points to give her a total of 63 in the two-day event. Kayla Fletcher finished with 15 points, seven assists and six steals.

St. Joe (10-6) had five players in double figures. Mychal Johnson scored 17, Sang and Stapleton 14 each, Griffin Dempsey 11 and Amber Chadwick 10.

Sang was the tournament’s MVP.

Fletcher hit three 3-pointers and Bradburn one in the first quarter as South Point took an 18-14 lead. Sang had five points in the second quarter to match Bradburn as the Lady Irish cut the deficit to 29-27 at the half.

South Point (11-3) outscored the Lady Irish 24-20 in the third quarter to lead 53-47. Bradburn exploded for 22 of the points as she hit five field goals, two trifectas and six foul shots.

“That just doesn’t happen,” Adams said of Bradburn’s scoring output.

The Irish came back to tie the game at 67 and got a steal and layup to take the lead. The Pointers’ broke the press and Bradburn was at the foul line going for the tying layup uncontested when the whisle blew.

The Lady Irish then made their free throws down the stretch to clinch the win.

South Point 18 11 24 16 = 69

Fairland 14 13 20 27 = 74

SOUTH POINT (11-3): Aundrea Bradburn 1 0 0-0 2, Allison Mitchell 3 0 0-0 6, Brianna Whaley 0 0 0-0 0, Angelica Stewart 2 0 2-2 6, Kayla Fletcher 2 3 2-2 15, Kimmie Bennett 2 0 0-0 4, Jalynn Bradburn 9 4 6-6 36. Totals: 26-58 10-10 69. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: Mitchell. 3-point goals: 7-16. Rebounds: 11 offense, 20 defense = 31 (Mitchell 8, Bennett 7, J. Bradburn 7). Assists: 12 (Fletcher 7). Steals: 12 (Fletcher 6, J. Bradburn 4). Turnovers: 23.

HUNTINGTON SAINT JOSEPH (10-6): Terra Stapleton 6 0 2-2 14, Griffin Dempsey 0 3 2-2 11, Mychal Johnson 5 1 4-4 17, Sara Sang 6 0 2-6 14, Amber Chadwick 0 2 4-4 10, Rachel Lee 0 1 2-2 5, Asia Petitte 0 1 0-0 3. Totals: 25-59 16-21 74. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None. 3-point goals: 8-18. Rebounds: 15 offense, 21 defense = 36 (Stapleton 13, Sang 10). Assists: 12 (Johnson 5, Chadwick 3). Steals: 15 (Sang 5, Dempsey 4). Turnovers: 18.