It’s over for county girls hoops

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It’s over for county girls hoops

Sports

Friday, 12 February 2010 09:59

By Ken Jackson
Sports Writer
So how do you beat a team that presses on defense?
Press ‘em right back — a defensive game plan that worked for Leesburg Thursday.
The Yellowjackets, 19-9, kept the Poinciana Lady Eagles, in their first-ever home regional playoff game, off balance with a full-court press that led to a 56-47 win in a Class 4A Region 2 quarterfinal at Mike Brizendine Gym.
District runners-up Harmony and Gateway also saw their seasons end with losses Thursday.
“That was the first time we’d been pressed like that, and it was the difference,” PHS Coach Jamerson Jones said. “They got turnovers off their press, and we didn’t. We gave the game away.”
Poinciana committed 23 turnovers, including nine in the second quarter, when the game began to turn.
The Eagles (17-9) held a 10-9 lead after one quarter, but that lead could have been bigger. Up 10-5, Brandii Walker’s jumper hit the back iron, deflected off a support cable and into the net, but the referees disallowed it. Leesburg scored on its next two trips down the floor.
“We missed three layups in that stretch. If we could have gotten them down early, maybe the dynamic of the game changes,” Jones said.
The teams battled through the second quarter bucket-for-bucket, but the Yellowjackets finished the half on a 10-1 run in the last three minutes, with Khayla Cardinales’ three-pointer with 20 seconds left pushing the LHS halftime lead to 25-21.
After Ashley Lanier scored the first bucket of the second half for the Yellowjackets, Poinciana got three-point plays from Gerri Navarro (11 points, three assists) and Kedesia Johnson (game-high 27 points, eight rebounds) during an 8-0 run that gave the Eagles a 29-27 lead three minutes into the third quarter.
But Leesburg slowly pulled away from there, using a motion offense and keeping the Eagles out of kilter with their constant pressure defense. Johnson fouled out with 54.5 seconds left with her team trailing 52-46.
Despite just three points, Walker was a defensive force in the post, tallying 15 rebounds and seven blocked shots. For Leesburg, it was a balanced attack, featuring Jaleesa Blue (17 points, nine rebounds, six steals), Baylie Bridges (18 points), Ashley Perry (nine points, six steals) and Lanier (four points, 14 rebounds).
“They outplayed us down the stretch,” Jones said. “We’re a young team; now they see what the pressure’s like. We’ll have high expectations next year.”
While starters Brittany Garrett and Weslee Aristor graduate, Navarro and Walker are freshmen, and Johnson is a sophomore, and those three represented 42 of the 47 points on Thursday.
The Yellowjackets advance to Tuesday’s regional semifinal, where they’ll find Ocala Vanguard (27-0), a 73-40 winner over Harmony (15-11). The Longhorns trailed 26-18 shortly before halftime, but Vanguard went on a 25-1 run from there to put the game away.
“We played well for a half, but we didn’t have an answer in the second half,” HHS Coach Steve Smith said. “Their press took us out of our offense.”
Sophomore forward Marie Gilbert led Harmony with 13 points.
In the Class 6A playoffs, an already underdog Gateway squad got further undermanned when senior point guard Carla Garcia left in the first quarter against Apopka with what appeared to be a concussion, enabling the Blue Darters to fly to a 68-30 win.
“Carla sets the tempo on offense, it’s hard to go on when you lose that,” Panthers Coach Steve Robertson said.
Freshman Leslie Soto had 10 for Gateway (14-11), and senior Miriam Ruiz scored 9 in a finale that still had some silver lining.
“As a coach I still have to be proud,” Robertson said. “For being the first winning season the school’s had in 25 years, the girls know they’ve accomplished something.”