Panther Creek, making its first NCHSAA 4A girls state basketball final, will play Lake Norman Saturday in Chapel Hill. Panther Creek coach Danielle Sullivan stopped by Talking Preps to discuss the big game.

By Langston Wertz Jr. / The Charlotte Observer

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Well coach you know first off Congratulations and just talk to us a Little bit about your team this year and How things have progressed for you guys During the season [Music] Flying in the elite eight last year Um I knew this year we had a good chance To be really special Um we have start two seniors and three Juniors and tried to kind of build our Schedule to prepare us to get where we Hoped we would be and that's you know Playing Saturday I love it I love it that's one of my big Things I feel like when you have the Talent uh you should test them early and Often and for that exact reason of Getting to this point Um where you're where you're going to be At on Saturday Um Taylor Barner is one of your players Who I've gotten the chance to see quite A few times Um she she's done a tremendous job this Season how has it been coaching her These last couple Seasons yeah it's been Enjoying you know Taylor has have had a Chance to see her come from a freshman Her coveted year where we all wear masks And tried to kind of figure each other Out to now as a junior Um you know she's she's a reflection of Me on the court

Um I played point guard she's my point Guard and so getting her getting to see Her kind of develop that leadership to Where you know there's some decisions She makes that she makes and I'm good With that so I think it's been a pretty Special relationship to go from from That covered year to now you know trying To you know be open and no mask and Playing a full schedule and all of that So I think she's really grown and Developed over the last three years Okay you guys are Um 28 and 4 and 120 in a row and you Haven't had many close games down the Stretch so when you go into the game Against Lake Norman for the 4A state Championship what's the mindset and what Do you tell the team as far as the Competition from Lake Norman being Undefeated It's a great Squad um there are pointing Guards tough they've got four great Shooters around her as well and you know We're going to do what we do Um we played in the she got game early In December Um you know again hoping to help prep us For this run Um so we've seen some good point guards We've seen some good Shooters Um I think we're gonna stick to our game Plan and you know do what we do that's Brought us here we're not going to

Change a whole lot this year or this Week we're going to break down some film We're gonna you know lock in on some Things that Lake Norman does But Ultimately you know we're gonna we're Gonna do what got us here Coach in yesterday's post game press Conference you uh beamed with pride when Speaking about how much this team likes Each other and how cohesive this unit is One of my favorite moments of the press Conference was when when I asked Olivia Tucker about the big three-pointer she Hit in the third quarter and the first Thing she said about it credit to a Mirror for looking ahead and making that Pass which just showed that Dynamic that You built and you talked about how you Did some conscientious things off the Court to help and cultivate that Dynamic You talk a little bit about what some of Those things were and how they transfer From off the court to on the court to Build that dynamic what we've tried to Get these girls outside of just Basketball I've been fortunate and Blessed to have girls that play year Round so they play a lot of basketball Um you know I've mentioned the she got Game it was good to get them on a road Trip staying in a hotel Um you know that kind of interaction Um we have went to drive Shack which is Just like Topgolf we've played some

Dodgeball we've played some softball We've done some things you know to help Them Kind of grow that relationship and trust And get to know each other off the court Which I think translates to good Cohesiveness being able to communicate And really that trust and for us that's Kind of what it's grown to be from you Know day one to you know where we are Now they've really kind of balled into What we're trying to do and they've Really come to kind of tried to learn Each other on a different level not just Who we are as basketball players but who We are as people All right coach I think have you gotten A chance to look at any film for Lake Norman this week or is that something You're going to wait till tomorrow to Start doing well Well I did yesterday we enjoyed our win Yesterday and we kind of hit hard this Morning um you know we've looked at some We've broke a little bit down um that Something we'll continue to do you know Tonight with my coaches and then you Know again into tomorrow Um to kind of to kind of break it down They bring a tough Squad Um but you know I feel pretty confident That we'll we'll get a game plan Together and you know the girls have Been great through this playoff run to

Kind of lock in and really take some Ownership of what we're trying to do and So the buy-in has been good and I expect Nothing less this week two first team Two first-time teams in the state finals At UNC have have the nerves kicked in Yet at all coach I don't think so So I was still riding that high from Yesterday Um you know Hillside was a tough Opponent and a tough you know battled Game so I'm I'm sure as you know with Anybody that gets here that's not been Here before there's going to be some Nerves on both sides and I think that's To be expected Um but I think it's an exciting week Um I have had people say hey enjoy this Journey and that's what we're going to Try to do this week is kind of let these Girls you know focus in on the on the Task at hand Um but also enjoy some time together and You know enjoy what you have because you Don't get this time back so and after It's done on Saturday it's done so I Want to make sure that they they spend Some time really you know Understanding how far they've come but You know still also understanding we got A job to do it on Saturday Awesome well congratulations coach and Good luck congratulations thank you

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