After clinching the regular-season title two weeks prior, the Lady Cougars used a huge second-quarter surge claim the Tri-Eight Conference Tournament Championship on Friday at Middle Creek High School, defeating Green Hope 67-47.

“It’s amazing,” Apex coach Scott Campbell said. “To go through the regular season and then the conference tournament, that’s tough. That’s very impressive and I’m proud of them.”

The Cougars (24-0) led after the first quarter, 19-18, but used four 3-pointers and a 22-8 run to blow the game wide open in the second quarter.

Junior guard Chloe Wells, who was named Tri-Eight Player of the Year after the game, led all scorers with 26 points, including four 3-pointers — some of them from beyond WNBA range.

When Wells’ wasn't hitting — and that only happened when she wasn’t shooting —teammate Cassandra Mitchell was a force on the low block for the Cougars, and finished the game with 19 points.

“She went crazy in the third quarter and I called a timeout in the third quarter for one reason — she didn’t need to go a couple of trips without touching it,” Campbell said. “We said ‘Look, they cannot stop Cassandra right now. If she doesn’t make her first one she’s getting a second and a third.’”

Mitchell posted a double-double for the game and was later named to first team All-Conference — proof that her performances have caught the eye of those around the Tri-Eight.

“Wow. [Mitchell] can play,” Green Hope coach Michael Robinson said. “She’s a great complement to Chloe.”

The Cougars’ Bethany Collins, who had eight points in the championship game, was named to second team all-conference.

Apex cruised to the Tri-Eight championship game after a 79-40 win over Panther Creek (3-22) in the opening round and a 59-44 win over fourth-seeded Middle Creek (17-9) in the semifinals.

While Apex was no stranger to the Tri-Eight championship game, but the same couldn’t be said of their counterparts.

After knocking off second-seeded Athens Drive in the semifinals — something that hadn’t been done since Athens joined the Tri-Eight in the 2005-06 season — Green Hope made its first title-game appearance in the school's nine-year history.

The Falcons (14-11) were led on the night by freshman Kristin Gaffney, a second team all-conference performer who had 20 points.

After starting the year 2-6, Green Hope turned it around about the time Gaffney returned from a fractured ankle, ending the year with 10 wins in its last 13 games.

It’s a big reason why Robinson was named Tri-Eight Coach of the Year.

“We started caring and we started playing with some heart, and we started gelling as a team,” Robinson said. “Nobody gave us a shot to be where we are or to even be third ... I can’t say enough of them, they do a great job.”

Green Hope will travel to Holly Springs on Tuesday for the first game of the state 4-A playoffs.

Athens (20-6) will host on Tuesday, taking on East Wake of the Greater Neuse River Conference. Middle Creek must travel to CAP 7 champion Wakefield while fifth-seeded Cary (6-17) has to go to Greater Neuse champ Southeast Raleigh.

Apex will get their quest for the perfect season and state title underway on Tuesday at home against Clayton. If Apex does falter in the playoffs, Campbell said it won't be because his team didn’t show up.

“If we get beat, we’ll have to get beat by somebody who plays as hard as us and is more talented because I don’t think anyone’s going to play harder,” Campbell said. “I love our team, I wouldn’t trade them for anything.”