The Escambia Academy Lady Cougars used stout defense over the weekend to win the AISA AAA region championship in Selma and advance to the state Elite 8.

After beating Bessemer Academy Thursday, the girls beat No. 1 seeds Tuscaloosa Academy 45-39 and Fort Dale Academy 40-28 to advance.

“They did it the hard way,” said coach David Walker. “They beat both No. 1 seeds.”

The keys to the victories were really good defense and easy fast-break points, which kept the team from having to setup in half-court offense, Walker said.

“We didn’t have to setup much from half court,” he said.

The wins mean the ladies will be the No. 1 seed in the tournament out of Region 2.

Junior Lacie Flowers was named tournament most valuable player, while junior Grayson Emmons and senior Sydney McGhee were named all-tournament performers.

Against TA, Emmons led the team with 14 points and had four steals. Flowers had 11 points and seven steals and Peyton Snider added nine points. Snider also led the team with nine rebounds. Bre Rollin grabbed seven boards in the win and Emmons had six.

Against Fort Dale, Emmons scored 14 points and Flowers added 13 points and grabbed six rebounds. Snider led the team with 13 boards, while McGhee and Allie Brooks had six boards each.

The Lady Cougars will travel to Huntingdon College in Montgomery to take on Hooper Academy in the Elite 8 at 3 p.m. Friday.

The winner takes on the winner of Glenwood and Tuscaloosa.