Bolles, Cardinal Mooney to meet in Class 3A girls basketball state championship game

A first-time state champion will be crowned in Class 3A on Saturday evening, as the Bolles Bulldogs take on the Cardinal Mooney Cougars

Bolles Bulldogs head coach Kelly Stevenson coaches from the sideline in the first half. The Rutherford Rams played the Bolles Bulldogs in the FHSAA Region 1-3A girls basketball final at Bolles School in Jacksonville, Fla. Friday night, February 21, 2025. Bolles defeated Rutherford 52-38. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]2025 / Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

LAKELAND, Fla.- The Bolles Bulldogs have already had a historic season coming into Friday's state semifinal game against Somerset Academy Canyons as they reached the state semifinals for the first time in program history.

It was a slow start for the Bulldogs as they fell behind 12-2 to start the game, where they were just 1-for-9 from the field and committed four early turnovers. The Bulldogs trailed 12-5 after the first eight minutes.

The Bulldogs trailed by as many as 12 in the first half on a couple of occasions where it was 17-5 and 19-7 near the midway point of the second quarter.

Over the last two minutes of the first half, the Bulldogs went on an 11-3 run to close the deficit to just four (22-18) heading into the locker room.

With five minutes remaining in the third quarter, senior guard Abby Knauff who is signed to play collegiate basketball at the University of North Florida gave her team their first lead of the game at 26-25.

Heading into the fourth quarter, Bolles held a narrow lead at 37-35.

Bolles had a 49-43 lead with 2:21 remaining, before a furious Somerset Academy Canyons comeback led by sophomore guard Delanie Doty and freshman guard Alanna Pinnock scored seven unanswered points in a minute span, to take a 50-49 lead with 1:10 remaining.

Terrell McCoy re-tied the game at 50, after splitting a pair of free throws with 40 seconds remaining in regulation.

In overtime, Bolles slammed the door shut outscoring Somerset Academy 7-0 to take home the 57-50 win, led by Knauff and Evie Freeman.

Knauff led the Bulldogs with 16 points, while Freeman added 13 in the win. Doty led the Cougars with 19 points in the loss.

The Cardinal Mooney Cougars who come into Lakeland for the fifth consecutive season had no issues putting away SLAM Miami, 65-52.

The Cougars were led by Cincinnati commit Kali Barrett finishing with 28 points and 13 rebounds. Sophomore forward Madeline Mignery added 8 points and 15 rebounds of her own in the win.

The Cougars played SLAM Miami in the regular-season where Cardinal Mooney won 66-56 back on February 1.

The Spartans were led by 5'8 senior guard Jim'Myiah Branton finishing with a team-high 24 points and eight rebounds. Senior guard Samantha Bautista added 11 points and six rebounds of her own in the loss.