![The West Florida Baptist Academy Lady Conquerors are the 2017 Panhandle Christian Conference Champions. Pictured from left are Katherine Jernigan, Emily Hines, Alyssa Johnson, Ayanna Kelker, Coach Darrin Johnson, Allie Whiting, Maddie Whiting, Mercedes Riojas, Janelle Riley, Emory McDaniel, Kyleigh Morris and Addi Johnson. [Special to the Press Gazette]](http://127.0.0.1/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/ghows-DA-48fd670f-68a9-2432-e053-0100007fe921-9700c551.jpeg)
FORT WALTON BEACH — The Panhandle Christian Conference wrapped the 2016-2017 basketball season with a final four tournament in Fort Walton Beach at Calvary Christian Academy.
The women’s semi-final games featured the Lighthouse Private Christian Academy Stingrays versus West Florida Baptist Academy Conquerors and Central Christian Saints of Robertsdale versus the host, Calvary Patriots.
Central and West Florida advanced to the championship and Calvary defeated Lighthouse for third place. It was the Lady Conquerors’ first conference basketball championship.
In the championship game, Central isolated the Conquerors’ Ayanna Kelker and Maddie Whiting, holding them to five and six points, respectively.
Kelker was WFBA's season-high scorer (282) and Maddie Whiting came off a career-high 20-point semi-final game. The strategy knotted the halftime score at 13.
Coming out of halftime, though, the Conquerors exploded for seven unanswered points and ended the quarter with a 14-4 advantage, as Alyssa Johnson's three-point aim was on target (3 of 4).
The Conquerors’ stingy defense continued in the fourth quarter, holding the Saints to four points. The Saints' historically deadly three-point attack went ice cold early and never thawed.
The Conquerors’ rebounding totaled 29, led by Kelker's season-high 10, and minimized the Saints’ put-backs. Conquerors’ steals were 13, led by Johnson's five.
The final score was 37-21.
The Conquerors’ total points, rebounds and steals versus Central were: Johnson 11-6-5, Katherine Jernigan 6-4-0, Maddie Whiting 6-7-3, Allison Whiting 5-1-3, Kelker 5-10-0, Kyleigh Morris (with her first varsity bucket) 2-0-2, Janelle Riley 1-1-0 and Emily Hines 1-0-0.
In the 39-32 Conqueror victory over Lighthouse, the totals (points, rebounds and steals) were: Maddie Whiting 20-6-1, Kelker 14-6-2, Johnson 3-3-3, Hines 2-3-0, Allison Whiting 0-3-7, Jernigan 0-2-0 and Riley 0-1-0.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Lady Conquerors record first conference championship