The Williston Red Devils scored 6 straight points in the final two minutes and rallied past Blountstown, 43-41, in a girls basketball Rural state semifinal at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville.

Williston (21-2) will play in Friday night’s state championship game against Jay. It’s the furthest the program has ever advanced.

After falling behind for the first time in the game, 38-37, with two minutes left, Tiona Wilkinson scored inside and Kaelynn Brown and Delecia Dallas both hit two free throws each as Williston turned up the defense and held on to win.

The Williston Red Devils scored 6 straight points in the final two minutes and rallied past Blountstown, 43-41, in a girls basketball Rural state semifinal at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville.

Williston (21-2) will play in Friday night’s state championship game at 6 p.m. against Jay. It’s the furthest the Lady Red Devils girls basketball program has ever advanced.

After falling behind for the first time in the game, 38-37, with two minutes left, Tiona Wilkinson scored inside and Kaelynn Brown and Delecia Dallas both hit two free throws each as Williston turned up the defense and held on to win.

“We just didn’t take care of the basketball,” Williston coach Willie Powers II said. “They sped us up; we talked about it all week. Don’t speed up. But give my girls credit, they were down, they fought, they didn’t put their heads down. That’s the sign of a champion.”

Williston won despite 24 turnovers and shooting only 21% from the floor. But they forced 23 turnovers against Blountstown (25-3), including 17 steals, and the Red Devils outrebounded the Tigers 56-46, including 32-22 on the offensive glass. Williston also held Blountstown to 25% shooting from the floor.

The game started well for Williston, as the Red Devils led 11-6 at the end of the opening period. They opened that lead up to 22-11 by halftime as Blountstown was only 3-for-32 from the floor.

The Red Devils scored the first five points of the second half and had their biggest lead at 27-11.

But then the Tigers fought back. Blountstown turned up its defense and started working its way back into the game as Williston struggled from the field.

“I thought all my girls played hard,” Powers said. “I thought we played hard in the second half. In the first half, I thought we were a little nervous, and for never being here, I can understand it.”

Williston still led 35-28 going to the final period, but Blountstown went on a 10-2 run and a 3-pointer by Jalynn Copeland put the Tigers on top 38-37 at the two-minute mark.

But then Williston went on their own decisive run to pull out the tough win.

“For them to fight is something I’ve been trying to get them to do for two years,” Powers said. “I think they figured it out and they didn’t want to go home tonight.”

Now Williston will play for its first state girls basketball title on Friday night, and there could be a Williston sweep with the Red Devils boys team playing Crossroad Academy (Quincy) for the Rural title as well.

“Big Williston,” Powers said. “Let’s go, Big Red!”