Rachel Thomas didn't have much time to think about it, but the one thought that did creep into the Heritage High School basketball player's mind brought about a strong sense of deja vu.
Thomas' 15-footer from the left baseline, shot with under a second to play, lifted the Lady Generals to a 40-38 comeback win at county rival Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe Friday night as part of the LFO Classic. It's not the first time Thomas has broken LFO hearst. She did the same thing to the Lady Warriors a year ago at Heritage.
"We were just saying, 'Throw it up, throw it up,' and we got the ball into Rachel and she did," winning coach Eddie Bryant said with a smile. "It's practically the same shot she beat them with last year."
Thomas, who finished with 10 points, admitted last year's game-winner was on her mind after a jump ball was called with one second on the clock, with Heritage maintaining control under the LFO basket.
"We were just trying to get the shot off," Thomas said, shaking her head. "We did it to them last year and I was thinking I've done it before, why not do it again?"
That she even had the opportunity was a testament to the resolve of the Lady Generals (4-4). The Lady Warriors (8-4) ended the first half with a 9-2 run and led 25-16, with most of the points coming off strong drives and putbacks.
"They took it to us physically in the first half and we let them," Bryant said. "We wanted to change that in the second half, and I'm proud of the girls for continuing to battle. We got on the boards and the officials were letting us play on both ends."
A Katie Shelly basket starting the second half gave LFO an 11-point lead, but the Lady Warriors scored only two more points in the period as the Heritage defense clamped down and Jada Hubbard, Tori Harvey and Thomas started driving to the basket on nearly every Generals possession. Nicole Fine's 3-pointer ending the period cut the LFO lead to one and the visitors took their first lead since the early going on Sydney Smith's runner in the lane early in the fourth quarter.
An Abbi Mabry drive and Sydni Eaves free throw gave LFO a 38-35 lead with 2:23 left, but the final five LFO possessions came up empty, and when Harvey hit two free throws with 29 seconds to play, the game was tied at 38.
LFO had two shots to take the lead on its next possession, then turned the ball over with a midcourt violation with six seconds left. Hubbard, after a timeout, missed a runner in the lane and the rebound was ruled a jump ball, setting up Thomas' repeat game-winner.
Hubbard led the winners with 13 points, and Harvey led all rebounders with 11. Mabry topped LFO with 11 points.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296.