Turnovers, taking bad shots, and missing good shots had things looking bleak for Southwest.

          The Patriots kept staying close, and falling farther behind, and staying close, and falling farther behind through out the GHSA Class AA girls semifinal with Rockmart at Georgia College.

          There they sat, down 11 – and it could’ve been worse had Rockmart gotten sluggish, too – with 5:34 left in the game.

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          But Southwest tightened up and made Rockmart pay for fourth-quarter sloppiness when Stantagious Alford went baseline – barely missing a toe on the line – and hit a turnaround with a second left to give the Patriots a 54-52 win and a date in the Macon Coliseum to play for a state championship.

          The Patriots are in the final for the first time since 1995 when they finished second for the second straight year.

          It was tied at 52 after Rockmart’s Keyarah Berry made one of two at the line with 26 seconds left. The Patriots worked the clock down in not the smoothest of possessions.

          Alford, who finished with 23 points and 19 rebounds, got the ball on the right wing, drove to the baseline on standout Berry, stopped, turned as a second defender approached and got off the shot, which rattled through.

          About a second remained, and rolled off the clock, inspiring the Patriots to rush the court while veteran head coach Willie Goolsby calmly raised his arms before getting bear-hugged.

         Southwest takes on Early County or Douglass at 2 p.m. on Wednesday as the Patriots go for their first state title.

         Southwest followed blocked shots with poor turnovers during the comeback, which didn’t seem in the cards when the Patriots were down 11 twice in the fourth quarter, within the first minute of the quarter and then with 5:34 left.

          The Yellowjackets then lost their mojo, going about a dozen straight possessions with nothing, the lead falling to seven.

          And then to five after Avrie Grayer’s 17-footer, and four after an Alford free throw.

          Grayer – who finished with 15 points and 19 boards plus six blocks - made a free throw and missed the second. Alford got the rebound and missed, but Grayer crashed the lane to grab the ball and score on a putback, getting the friendly bounces on the rim.

          And Southwest was down 49-48 with 1:42 left in regulation.

          Berry finally broke the drought of four minutes with a runner, answered by Alford’s similar shot, and it was 51-50 Rockmart. The Patriot defense got the ball back by forcing a 10-second violation, and Alford low gave Southwest its first lead since the first half.

          Berry made one of two with 26 seconds left to tie it and set up Alford’s heroics.

          Southwest was down 29-21 in less than three minutes into the third quarter minutes and called timeout, but got back into it and tied it only to give up a late flurry to trail 43-35 entering the fourth.

          A banked 3-pointer got Rockmart going in the second, a 7-0 run putting the Yellowjackets in some control before Alford finally hit a free throw with 4:47 left.

          Both teams were sloppy, unable to control the ball or make shots, including many good looks and second-chance opportunities. Rockmart missed a premature half-court shot int eh second quarter only to get the hustle bucket at the buzzer for a 24-18 halftime lead.

          Southwest led 12-11 after one.

          Shygeria Williams added 10 for the Patriots, who won the fourth quarter 19-9 to end Rockmart’s season at 23-7.