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Ferguson's Late Rally Falls Short, Falcons Lose 44-43

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LAKELAND (SFHSSports) – Trailing by 14 points in the fourth quarter and playing on the state basketball final four stage for the first time in school history, Ferguson could've easily given up.

But that's not their style.

Ferguson rallied all the way back and trailed just 44-43 with three seconds left before sophomore Natalia Pineda got a wide open look at the basket but saw the three-pointer bounce off the back of the rim, leaving the Falcons' rally just short as they fell to Vero Beach Friday afternoon in the Class 8A state semifinals in The Lakeland Center.

Vero Beach (25-1) will face either Boca Raton or Sanford Seminole in Saturday's Class 8A championship game.

The Falcons (23-8) trailed 44-34 with just over three minutes to play but got back to back three-pointers from sophomore Sheslanie Laureano to cut the deficit to 44-40 with 1:38 left to play. Then Yaire Gonzalez, also a sophomore, hit a three with 52 seconds left – her only points of the game – making it 44-43.

Vero Beach tried to run time off the clock, forcing Ferguson to foul. First the Falcons were called for an intentional foul – meaning two shots and the ball for the Indians – but Vero missed both free throws; then Vero Beach missed the first free throw on the next foul, giving Ferguson the ball back with seven seconds left.

Pineda got the wide open look on an inbound play when two Vero defenders chased after Giolibeth Perez, leaving Pineda open at the top of the three-point line.

"Coach drew up a really good play and it seemed like I had that shot," Pineda said with tears in her eyes. "From my perspective, it looked like it was going in. Then when it hit the back of the rim, a lot went through my mind…and it just hurt."

Falcons head coach Gabriel Lazo, who has led the team to three straight seasons of 20 or more win, said his team's rally embodied what he expects from his team.

"They didn't give up, they kept fighting and that's me," Lazo said. "I never give up. I told them – even when we were down double digits late, 'I'm going to keep coaching, I'm not going to stop'. And they kept fighting."

"A lot of times when people get down like that, they're body language will change for the worse. Obviously, I'm not happy that we lost, but I am proud of my girls for the way they didn't give up. Positive is going to come out of this."

The positive is the experience that Ferguson can take away from playing in a state semifinal.

Giolibeth, an All-County performer, is the team's lone senior. Perez finished with 10 points and five assists in her final game as a Falcon. Laureano finished with a team-high 17 points going along with seven rebounds and Pineda totaled a double-double with 13 points and 10 boards.

Vero Beach, which held a 30-16 lead at halftime, was carried by 6-foot senior and Yale signee Megan Gorman. Gorman buoyed her team throughout, finishing with 19 points (9 of 16 from the field), 18 rebounds and three blocks. No other Indians player scored in double figures.

Lazo felt that his team's youth showed for better and for worse Friday.

"Our inexperience really showed in the first half," Lazo began. "Our effort and our energy weren't there in the first half – like it was in the second half and Vero Beach is a tough team to play from behind. We had to get back to playing Ferguson basketball – high intensity, being all over you, getting in passing lanes and creating run outs."

"Obviously, I am not happy with the loss nor am I content, but we're a young team," Lazo said. "And our girls got some very valuable experience. Playing here is a different ball game and we'd never been here. Playing in this environment is something they can carry – especially all the young girls we have. I am very proud of them, but now we're going to get back to work."

Box Score

Class 8A state semifinals: Vero Beach 44, Ferguson 43 – FER (23-8): Laureano 17, Pineda 13, Perez 10, Rodriguez 3. VB (25-1): Gorman 19, Harris 8, Miller 7, Smith 5, Wade 3, Fonchum 2. Halftime: VB 30-19. Three-pointers: Laureano 3, Perez, Rodriguez, Wade, Smith, Miller. Fouled out: Rodriguez. Technicals: None.

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