Stellar defense keys Buchholz girls basketball playoff win

The Buchholz High girls basketball team went into Thursday night's Region 1-6A quarterfinal match-up against Milton searching for their first playoff win since their state championship season of 2013. 

And on a night where they struggled offensively, the Bobcats turned up the defensive pressure. Because of that they will live to see another day. 

Buchholz allowed Milton only second-half field goals and finished the game on an 19-4 run to win their opening-round playoff matchup 37-21 at Bud Seymour Gymnasium. 

Sophomore Toni Davis made five-of-six free throws down the stretch to finish as the only double-figure scorer in the game with 10 points, and senior Jasmine Harkness and junior Tyra Peterson chipped in eight points to lead the Bobcats. 

Buchholz first-year head coach Niya Johnson, who won two state titles as a player at P.K. Yonge and a national championship as well in college at Baylor, earned her first playoff win as a coach. She says the game didn't always go like the Bobcats wanted it, but a win is a win.

"We missed a lot of shots and had a bunch of turnovers," Johnson said. "Their defense caused us some problems, but we also were beating ourselves with unforced turnovers."

Buchholz didn't score for the first five minutes of the game, as Milton jumped to a 4-0 lead. But the Bobcats then got the offense going, and Harkness hit a 3-pointer to beat the first-quarter buzzer and give Buchholz an 11-8 lead. 

The second quarter was even more of a struggle for both offenses. Davis had a 3-pointer and Peterson a two-point basket for Buchholz. And that was it for the Bobcats offensively. 

But Buchholz only allowed Milton to score four points in the second period, and the Bobcats carried a 16-12 lead into the halftime break. 

"Our defense has really progressed as the season has gone on," Johnson said. "We know we are capable of playing this way as a defense so a game like tonight isn't a huge surprise to our team."

The third quarter brought more offensive woes. Buchholz managed only three field goals, while the Panthers only made two baskets. But after a field goal by Milton's Camille Germann with a little under three minutes left, the Panthers still only trailed Buchholz 18-17. 

Then the game-clinching run began. Peterson hit a couple of free throws, junior Alicia Bryant hit a shot, and sophomore Samantha Moore scored her only points of the night and Buchholz led 24-17 heading to the final quarter. 

And then led by the free-throw shooting of Davis, the Bobcats finally pulled away for good, outscoring Milton 13-4 in the fourth quarter. 

"We really got it going in the fourth quarter," Johnson said. "I think our girls finally got tired of getting beat and turned up the offense with the defense as well."

Buchholz allowed Milton only seven made shots for the game. 

Milton, which finished their season 16-7, was making their first playoff appearance since 2009. 

Next up for Buchholz is a region semifinal at home against another team from Northwest Florida, Navarre on Tuesday.  Navarre advanced with a 71-42 romp over Columbia. Johnson said she is looking forward to another home playoff game and was glad to have this first game at home. 

"This was a great crowd with great energy tonight," Johnson said. "We were excited to go all week, and now we get to play in front of our fans one more time."