Warhill pulls away late with key baskets as Lady Trojans drop Bay Rivers District contest

New Kent’s Evelyn Davenport (10) battles with Warhill’s D’Shela Walker (2) for a rebound.

Robb Johnson photo

There are games that define character and provide a gauge of where a team’s competitive level is. On Jan. 4, New Kent’s Lady Trojans’ toughness was tested, but the ability to finish strongly hurt them in the end.

Warhill’s Lady Lions escaped New Kent with a 59-53 win in the Bay Rivers District match-up.

For most of the contest, both teams played on even terms as every time New Kent tried to pull away, Warhill had an answer. In the second quarter, Warhill’s Bria McAdoo scored nine points for her team, pulling them within four (30-26) of New Kent. But the Lady Trojans answered with Alline Alexander’s score in the paint with three seconds remaining to provide the hosts a six-point halftime lead (32-26).

Despite the physicality to start the third quarter, New Kent built its lead up to double figures (37-26) at the beginning of the quarter. Warhill countered shortly afterwards, as two trifectas from Akeylah James sparked a 12-0 run by the visitors to sway the advantage in their favor (38-37). By the end of the frame, the score was tied at 43 apiece.

The Lady Trojans advantage returned to four (47-43) after Hannah Milby’s lay-in. But once again, the visitors rallied back, resulting in a ping-pong affair on the scoreboard. Warhill regained the lead at 52-51 before Evelyn Davenport’s basket put New Kent back on top. Lady Lion D’Shela Walker countered with a basket on her own that returned the lead to the guests (54-53).

New Kent turned the ball over on the next possession, resulting in Warhill playing stall ball. The Lady Trojans failed to locate James, who drained a three-pointer from the top of the key to up the visitors’ advantage to four (57-53). Warhill would add a pair of points late as New Kent couldn’t rally from the deficit as time expired.

After the contest, New Kent Lady Trojans Head Coach James Montgomery talked about the pressure situation his team faced down the stretch.

“We lost our composure a little there, but overall, I was happy with the effort, and we played a great first half,” he said. “We have a saying that we stack days, we stack five or six days with practices and games so come into practice, stack another day and keep getting better. We want to be playing our best ball going into February and the players have bought into that.”

Alexander’s 23 points led New Kent (3-5) in the scoring column, while Davenport also finished in double figures with 10. Josie Slosjarik tossed in eight, Milby contributed five, Talayah Wilson pumped in four, Brie Otey contributed with two, and Emily Ward chipped in with one.