Girls State Basketball: Providence Academy knocks off defending champ Albany 55-48

Top-seeded Providence Academy advanced to the Class AA championship game for the second consecutive season, but before doing so, the Lions had to get past a familiar roadblock.

Eighth-grade guard Maddyn Greenway played the entire 36 minutes and scored 20 points to help send the Lions to a 55-48 victory over No. 3 Albany in the Class AA semifinals on Friday, March 18, 2022, at Williams Arena on the University of Minnesota campus. Senior forward Maria Counts scored 13 points and junior forward Grace Counts chipped in 12 as the Lions slowly pulled away in the second half.

The loss ended Albany’s reign as the defending Class AA champion. In the 2021 Class AA title game, Albany raced to a 57-43 victory over Providence Academy at Target Center in Minneapolis to end a season abbreviated because to the global pandemic. Earlier this season, Providence Academy defeated Albany 55-32 over the holiday break.

In the latest matchup, Providence (28-4) led for just more than 23 minutes of play. Albany (24-6) pulled to within two points in the final minutes, but the Lions were able to keep the Huskies at bay with key baskets and free throws.

Sophomore forward Kylan Gerads paced Albany with 13 points and sophomore forward Alyssa Sand added 11.