LIBERTY &045; Born deep down in the belly of a winner is an instinct he or she can channel at any time.

It can sit dormant for days, weeks, months and even maybe years. But it’s always there, just waiting to come ajar to help its master change the course of a game.

Sierra Massey’s inner winner reared her head for Trinity Episcopal in the semifinals of the MPSA District 7-A tournament against Huntington Friday.

Massey scored 18 of her game-high 20 points in the second half, as the Lady Saints kept Huntington at bay late with a 45-33 victory to advance to the championship final against Tensas Academy at 7 p.m. today.

&uot;I had to step it up completely. I knew we had to come back and get going after it,&uot; Massey said. &uot;We played as a team and got together and played well on the offensive end. The defense stepped up big.&uot;

With her team down a half dozen, staring a 7-0 Huntington run squarely in the eye and scoreless for the second half, Massey took over the third quarter.

Massey began things with a 3-pointer to cut the Trinity deficit in half, 22-19. Amber McGlothin pushed the Lady Hounds lead to five with a layup off a pretty feed from Whitney Bradford.

Massey answered with an intention to not allow Huntington’s lead to balloon any more.

She single-handedly ignited a 7-0 run, which put the Lady Saints back on top, 26-24, with 39 seconds remaining in the third.

&uot;I’ve always thought that basketball was a great tool for God’s lessons,&uot; Trinity head coach Melanie Hall said. &uot;If you believe, it’ll be taken care of. We never got rattled and just played our ball game. Believe it, and you’ll achieve it.&uot;

The Saints took a bucket lead into the fourth period and quickly increased it to six off a pull-up jumper from Mallory Archer, who poured in 18 points.

The gap was 34-29 with 2:13 left when the circus pitched its tent. With 1:58 left, Huntington senior Jessi Moak fouled out, which gave Lady Hounds head coach Penny Moak 30 seconds to make a substitution.

Instead, Massey, who was the player Jessi Moak fouled, made her first free throw unbeknownst to Penny Moak.

&uot;I was talking to my sub, and I turned around and they’re sinking a free throw,&uot; Penny Moak said. &uot;I said I didn’t have my sub in yet. He called the other referee over and said he didn’t know (Jessi Moak) fouled out. I said the basket didn’t count then. And then I proceeded to, well, you know. That was wrong of me.&uot;

Penny Moak received a technical, and, perhaps, changed the course of the game as Trinity was able to increase its lead to seven, 36-29, and run some of the clock off, which had fallen under two minutes.

The Lady Hounds tried to make a run with a jumper by Jessie Lee, which closed the gap to five with 1:25 remaining, but Huntington never got closer.

&uot;The girls didn’t play their best ball, but (the technical) was the turning point and I take the blame for that,&uot; Penny Moak admitted. &uot;I fell apart, and then we all did. I should’ve kept it together.&uot;

Massey was just as shocked as everyone else in the gym for Moak’s reaction and agreed with the coach that the incident swung the momentum. In all, four Lady Hounds fouled out of the game compared to none for Trinity, which was another of issue of contempt for Moak.

&uot;I don’t know why the second half was different than the first half as far as the fouls go,&uot; she said. &uot;I thought it was one-sided myself.&uot;

Bradford led Huntington with seven points as her trey early in the third period was part of a 7-0 Lady Hounds’ run in which they took the halftime lead away from Trinity.