Poor shooting freezes Lady Panthers, lose fourth consecutive game

Charles City's Shanijah Brown (3) muscles her way around Southampton's Asya Walton on a drive to the basket.

Andre' Jones photo

For nearly three quarters, Charles City’s Lady Panthers could not put the ball in the basket by any shape or manner. And by the time the sphere began to fall through the hoop for the hosts, visiting Southampton had put enough distance between the two teams.

Unable to overcome a dismal start and unable to complete a comeback rally, Charles City fell 39-33 in the Tuesday night contest against the visiting Indians.

Sluggish shooting from both teams opened the game until Lady Panther Kiandra Randall drained a free throw at the 3:26 mark of the first quarter. A Meryah Bates trifecta and a Randall putback gave the hosts a 6-0 lead.

But those baskets would be the last in what amounted into a 10-minute drought. Southampton’s Samiyah Lane drained a three to close out the quarter at 6-3. In the second quarter, Lady Indian Jordan Lee would take advantage of Randall’s absence due to foul trouble, scoring 10 of her game high 12 points as the guests orchestrated a 16-2 run in the frame to push ahead to a 19-8 halftime advantage.

Southampton led comfortably 25-9 in the third quarter when Lady Indian Jamaya Hunt was called for an intentional foul at the 1:13 mark. Charles City freshman Tessa Young would drain a free throw, sparking a Lady Panther 7-0 run to end the quarter, highlighted by Randall’s three-pointer to cut the lead to single digits (25-16).

The momentum continued for the hosts, as a Santaesha Hickman steal and lay-up followed by Sydney Richard’s wing jumper cut the lead to five (25-20).

But Southampton bounced back, led by Hunt’s free throw and subsequent swipe and close basket. Teammate Zakilya Holden lay-in returned a double-digit lead to the visitors (30-20). The Lady Panthers were unable to get any closer than five the rest of the way before watching the clock expire in the fourth quarter.

The loss comes as a huge disappointment for the Lady Panthers, who have dropped four consecutive games.

“The last three games were winnable games,” said Lady Panther head coach VaShaun Otey, pointing to recent losses against Lancaster, George Wythe, and the contest against Southampton. “Each of those teams had won only two games prior to playing us.

“We were immature tonight but they don’t want it,” he continued. “We got all the talent in the word but we don’t want to or know how to apply it. We have to gain some maturity.”

Charles City (4-7) received ten point performances from Hickman and Randall. Veondra Brown and Richard scored four, Bates finished with three, and Tishae Brown and Young chipped in with one apiece.

Southampton’s Lee finished with 12 points, who improve their record to 3-8.