After slow start, Lady Trojans step up in second half to topple York 44-25

By Robb Johnson | December 18, 2019 10:11 am

New Kent's Katelyn Norman (32) releases a high arching shot over York's Ashley Levister (5).

Robb Johnson photo

Growth from a team can be the result of overcoming unpredictable situations. Such was the case for New Kent’s Lady Trojans during Tuesday night’s basketball game.

Even without senior point guard Madison Foley on the floor, New Kent’s core of players were enough to defeat York’s Lady Falcons 44-25.

Scoring went by the wayside for both teams for most of the first quarter until Lady Trojan Alayna Loveland’s free throw at the 3:58 mark finally changed the scoreboard. Buckets from teammates Katelyn Norman and Natasha Lange followed, as the hosts were able to squeak a 5-2 lead heading into the second quarter.

York found some offensive rhythm, cutting their deficit to two (10-8) before New Kent countered with a 10-2 run of their own before settling with a 20-16 halftime advantage.

The third quarter saw Norman takeover for the hosts. The Lady Trojan accounted for all eight points in the frame. Norman’s scoring was part of a 24-9 run over the final two quarters that lifted the Lady Trojans to a victory and improved their record to 4-2.

New Kent head coach Neko Burson commented about getting his team up and motivated for the game was the first task he had to address for the night.

“We needed to find energy from a few different places,” he said. “We had a tough win last night and a lot of our starters and other players got good minutes, so it was hard trying to find some energy tonight.

“York is always a game where they want to come in and it always pans out to be a close game,” Burson continued. “We didn’t want that again this year, so at halftime I reminded them of our past and how we play in those close games and that was enough to get them going.”

Norman (14) and Haley Hyndshaw (13) finished in double figures for the hosts. Lange and Hannah Drewer each pumped in six, Yaz’mine Brown and McKenna Mueller both tossed in two, and Loveland chipped in with one.