Elizabeth Balogun had 14 points and nine rebounds and Tennessee commitment Jazmine Massengill scored 12 points as Hamilton Heights Christian Academy from Chattanooga edged St. Frances Academy from Baltimore 56-55 in overtime Friday in the girls’ semifinals of the Dick’s Sporting Goods national basketball tournament in New York. Hamilton Heights (29-1), the No. 2 seed, will face No. 1 Miami Christian Day for the championship at 10 this morning on ESPN2. La Lumiere from Indiana, which played in McCallie’s tournament this season, is in the boys’ final at noon against Montverde Academy from Florida. Freshman Angel Reese had 20 points and 24 rebounds for No. 3 seed St. Frances, including a putback at the buzzer that forced overtime after the Maryland school erased an 11-point deficit. But coach Keisha Hunt’s Lady Hawks already have won two national titles this season and fought through to maintain a chance for another.
Baseball
– Cleveland State began its TSSAA home baseball series against second-place Walters State with a 9-4 win Friday, beginning with a three-run first inning that included John Hennen’s RBI triple between scores on a wild pitch and an error. Hennen was 3-for-5 with a home run, Chase Fullington was 3-for-3 with two doubles, an RBI and a run, Jordan Ransom was 2-for-3 with two runs and John Sharpe drove in two for the Cougars (22-9, 7-6). Starting pitcher Hooper Mills allowed five hits and two earned runs in seven innings. Walters is 34-6, 11-2.
– Alex Kerr’s grand slam capped a six-run seventh inning for Covenant College in a 9-4 USA South victory Friday against Huntingdon. Kerr was 2-for-2 with five RBIs after coming in to catch, and Forrest Hunter, Luke Harvey, Caleb Bloye and Christian Murray each had two hits and an RBI for the Scots (11-16, 4-9). Hunter scored twice. Taylor Fought and Joseph Calvert each was 3-for-5 for the Hawks (9-19, 6-7), Fought with a homer.
– Tennessee Wesleyan beat visiting Milligan 8-0 in the opener of their weekend Appalachian Athletic Conference series, leaving the NAIA’s fifth-ranked Bulldogs 25-10 and 11-2 in the league.