Aniyah Boyd’s and-one with seconds remaining lifted Fort Walton Beach to a 46-43 victory over rival Choctaw on Friday night, completing the Lady Vikings’ season sweep.
- With 12.9 seconds left and the score tied at 43, Fort Walton Beach executed out of a timeout.
After Choctaw’s Diaris Morales inbounded to Janyiah Brown, Abria Jackson intercepted the pass and quickly found Boyd. Following a brief exchange with Alexis Smith, Boyd drove to the basket, drew a foul and converted the free throw to put the Lady Vikings ahead. Smith then intercepted a desperate inbound pass to seal the win.
Despite early offensive struggles, Fort Walton Beach’s defense kept them in the game. Smith scored the only basket for much of the first quarter as Choctaw surged ahead to a 7-6 lead. The second quarter featured back-and-forth scoring, with key three-pointers from Harmony Lee and Anica Stallworth for Fort Walton Beach and Olivia Freeland for Choctaw. The Lady Indians held a narrow 19-17 halftime lead.
The defensive battle continued in the third quarter, with both teams missing opportunities. Freeland’s shooting kept Choctaw ahead, but Fort Walton Beach responded with a 6-0 run to tie the game at 28 heading into the fourth.
The final period saw both teams trade leads in a dramatic finish.
Clutch three-pointers from Chloe Burgos and Stallworth put Fort Walton Beach ahead, but a Brown layup briefly gave Choctaw the lead. The Lady Indians retook the advantage after Boyd’s pass was stolen by Morales, who found Freeland for a three-pointer. Smith’s free throw tied the game, setting up Boyd’s decisive and-one.
- “This team is being put to the test,” Fort Walton Beach coach Mercedez Claybrone said. “They’re young, but they’re being thrown in the fire, and I think we’ve got a pretty good shot at making a run.”
Boyd reflected on her cruicial play. “It was just crazy. I was very stressed. It was very crazy and I’m glad I made up for my mistake.”
“The possession before she walks off, she’s extremely frustrated, and I tell her you’re good – let’s just get this stop here,” Claybrone said. “We put the ball ahead and she comes off with confidence and lays the ball up. That’s Anyiah Boyd. One possession she messes up and the next she has that next play mentality.”
