CARY - It was a historic night in what's been a historic season for Green Hope's girls basketball team. The undefeated Lady Falcons won its first conference tournament championship in school history as it defeated 2-seed Athens Drive 52-44 on Friday at Panther Creek High School.

Green Hope will now play in this week's NCHSAA 4-A state playoffs as the East region's only undefeated team at 26-0. Prior to last season, the Lady Falcons had never so much as gone to the state playoffs.

"It's big for our school, it's big for our program ... Everybody's starting to turn their heads a little bit," coach Michael Robinson said. "We're doing what it takes to win ball games."

Robinson's team led just 23-21 at half over the Lady Jaguars (22-4). But a third-quarter run, highlighted by two Caitlyn Ranson 3-pointers, gave the Lady Falcons a seven-point advantage heading into the fourth.

Athens struggled to get the ball to its star center Keisha Gatling in the second half. Gatling, a 6-4 senior, hit all six of her first-half field goals and finished the game 11-of-12 for 24 points.

However, passes to her were taken away at critical times. Left to shoot outside, the Lady Jags were 5-of-25 from 3-point land.

"I thought it was a great defensive game," Athens Drive coach Chris Danehower said. "I thought we did a good job to stop them in transition and I thought they did a good job of not letting us do what we want on offense."

Although Green Hope's Kristen Gaffney led her team in scoring, she was held to a season-low 13 points.

"She does so much more for us than scoring," Robinson said. "And the other four girls stepped up and came to play."

The 2010 Tri-Nine Conference Player of the Year didn't need to be her usual dominant self to get a win.

"I couldn't have done any of this without my team. We played really well all through this season. We really came together as a team this year," Gaffney said. "I just want to say 'thank you' to them and coach Robinson, because without any of them I wouldn't have done it."

It's the second straight time Athens has been ousted from the Tri-Nine playoffs by Green Hope after last year's semifinal match-up. Of the Jags' four losses this year, three have come to the Falcons.

Green Hope's starting five stayed on the court from start to finish. Not once did Robinson sub. It was an unusual move, but one that paid off for the back-to-back conference coach of the year.

"You try to put the ones out there who you think will do good for you, and that's what I did," Robinson said.

The Lady Falcons were well-represented in the end-of-year awards. Green Hope three players on the all-conference teams in addition to sweeping the coach and player of the year awards.

Green Hope and Athens will host first-round playoff games on Tuesday.