A’ja Wilson fights Cardinal Newman’s Alex August for a rebound. A’ja Wilson had 28 points to lead the visiting Heathwood Hall Lady Highlanders to a 50–43 victory over the Cardinal Newman Lady Cardinals on Thursday, February 11 in both teams’ regular–season region finale.

Wilson got off to a fast start with seven points in the first quarter and controlled the boards with her height. The Lady Cardinals tried to counter with balance, as five different players scored in the frame, but Heathwood led 13–10 after one period.

Wilson continued her scoring dominance in the second quarter, outscoring the Lady Cardinals by herself 8–7, while leading the Lady Highlanders into the locker room with a 25–17 lead.

Cardinal Newman inched closer during the third quarter behind the shooting of senior Danielle Shaw and sophomore Molly Rainwater, both of whom scored five points in the period. However, Wilson scored seven, and that was enough to keep Heathwood in the lead, 34–30.

Cardinal Newman’s Molly Rainwater runs into Heathwood Hall’s Logan Ress. Photos by Jim Marczesky In the fourth quarter, the Lady Cardinals crept within two after Alex August hit a free throw with less than three minutes remaining, and then got to within one after a three–point basket by Shaw with under a minute to go. But that was as close as they would come, as Wilson and Carson Lunceford combined to hit 6–of–9 free throws down the stretch to seal the win for Heathwood.

Lunceford added 12 points for the Lady Highlanders. Shaw led the Lady Cardinals with 13, and Rainwater added 12.

Both teams will begin play in the SCISA AAA state playoffs that start February 19. Heathwood goes in as the #2 seed from Region I. Cardinal Newman will go in as the #4 seed after losing a coin flip to Ben Lippen on Friday, February 12.