Leach's heroics lifts Lady Indians to win

Gaffney's Keisha Leach scored the game-winning hoop against York on Friday. She finished with 14 points. Keisha Leach was at the right place at the right time for the Gaffney Lady Indians on Friday.

With the Lady Indians holding for the last shot, Leach picked up the loose ball after a missed shot and hit the game-winning layup, lifting Gaffney to an exciting 44- 42 victory over visiting York on Friday.

That wasn't Leach's only highlight. She also led the Lady Indians with 14 points.

"Keisha really played well," Gaffney coach Stacey Parris said.

Kierra Phillips added 11 points for the LadyIndians, who improve to 7-4 overall and 1-0 in region play.

"We talked a lot about starting over," Parris said. "If we can go 6-4 (in the region part of the schedule) we have a good chance to make the playoffs. But we'll take it one game at a time."

Parris said the team is also adjusting to the loss of forward Ashlee Tate, who injured her knee a week ago.

"We have people stepping up to fill her shoes," she said.

The Lady Indians led 22-18 at the half, but Parris wasn't happy with her team's execution.

"In the second half we played better against their zone," she said. "We didn't take so many quick shots."

The Lady Cougars erased a 36- 31 deficit at the end of the third quarter to tie the game at 42 in the game's waning moments, leading to Leach's game-winning heroics.

Gaffney will host Union on Tuesday. The Lady Indians won the teams' earlier meeting.