Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Albemarle’s second round matchup in the 1A Western Region of the NCHSAA women’s basketball state playoffs was a matchup between two teams ranked by MaxPreps in the top 10.

The Bulldogs, ranked fifth in the 1A and seeded fourth, took on the 10th ranked Robbinsville Black Knights, who were seeded 13th in the West.

Trailing after one quarter, the Knights rebounded and got a huge night from its team captain and senior point guard as Robbinsville topped Albemarle, 71-66.

After scoring just three points in the first quarter, Robbinsville’s Desta Trammell poured in 42 for the Knights (19-8) in the final three quarters, scoring 14 in each period. She was 12-of-13 at the free-throw line and knocked down five of the Black Knights’ seven makes from the three-point arc.

Jasmine Brown led Albemarle (22-5) with 18 points and 12 rebounds, while Bianaca Robinson, starting Thursday after missing the opening round game due to illness, added 17 points. Mary Grace Krol scored 10 off the bench for Albemarle. Nyleiah White just missed double figures for the Bulldogs, finishing with nine points and five steals.

Amari Baldwin, the leading scorer this season for Albemarle, was limited to six points.

The Bulldogs led 22-10 after the first quarter but Robbinsville stormed back. The Black Knight outscored Albemarle 23-6 in the second period to lead 33-28 at halftime.

Albemarle fought back in the third to take a three-point lead before another Robbinsville run put the Bulldogs behind. The Black Knights led by as much as seven in the fourth, but Albemarle evened the game with 2:30 left, 64-64. Robbinsville outscored Albemarle 7-2 the rest of the way to earn the win.

“We came out played hard and the girls gave me everything they had and as a coach that’s all I can expect from them.  Tonight’s result was 100% on me as a coach,” Albemarle head coach Eric Davis said.

Albemarle won the Yadkin Valley Conference regular season and tournament titles, finishing with 22 wins this season, the most since going 26-3 in the 2019-20 season. Under Davis, Albemarle has won 18 or more games six times, including four 20-win seasons.

“(I am) extremely proud of the girls for how they represented the school, the community and families,” Davis said. “They accomplished incredible items this season that they need to be proud of, and most importantly, they earned. They worked hard for me every day without excuse, were dedicated and committed to the process and continued to challenge themselves to be champions … and they are champions in every possible way.”

Albemarle had three seniors on the roster this season: White, Krol and Madison Swaringen.