Free throws, pressure push New Kent past Charles City
After grabbing a rebound, New Kent's Caitlin McClain encounters pressure from Charles City's Jessica Hill and Taylor Bradby (right) as she looks to pass to a teammate.Alan Chamberlain photo
While neither the visiting Charles City Lady Panthers nor the hosting New Kent Lady Trojans put on a shooting display, it was the home-standing Lady Trojans converting free throws and upping defensive pressure that led them to victory.
New Kent converted 22 free throws and held visiting Charles City to just 14 percent shooting from the field as the hosts claimed a 55-42 victory in the Dec. 9 contest.
With foul trouble plaguing both teams in the opening quarter, leads alternated over the stanza, with New Kent’s Brittany LaPrade draining a three-pointer from the wing to give the hosts a 13-11 lead heading into the second quarter.
Adrienne Miles’ put-back for the Lady Panthers knotted the game at 13 apiece, before Lady Trojan leading scorer Adrienne Goodlet scored four of the team’s next five points to give the hosts an 18-13 lead with 5:35 left before the half.
With Lady Panther three-point specialist Cheyenne Davis forced to the bench with three fouls, Charles City became more aggressive, attacking the rim and drawing fouls. Double bonus conversions by Miles and Jessica Hill cut the Lady Trojan lead to one (20-19). Becky Anderson returned a two-point lead to the hosts, but a Mary Black lay-in from a Miles’ assist evened the score at 21 apiece heading into the break.
Transitioning into the third frame, Anderson took a more aggressive approach, banking in a turnaround jumper and following it up with two from the charity stripe to up the Lady Trojan lead to four (25-21).
Now up 27-24, New Kent staged its biggest run of the night. Goodlet converted four consecutive free throws and teammate Anna Mathis dropped in a pair to increase the Lady Trojan lead to nine (33-24). Not to be outdone, Charles City forged its own rally, with Davis converting her first trifecta of the night. A Keara Jones steal plus lay-in that was duplicated on the next possession down the floor by Davis within a 1:07 time span squeezed New Kent’s margin to a mere bucket (33-31).
Unfortunately for the visitors, their aggressiveness backfired. Miles was saddled with her fourth foul, returning the Lady Trojans to the line. Mathis converted another duo of free throws, and Caitlin McClain’s stickback off a missed free throw returned the lead to six for the hosts (37-31). The five-point margin held up as Goodlet’s steal and lay-up at the buzzer carried a 39-34 lead into the final frame for the Lady Trojans.
With just under 6:00 to play in the game and holding a four-point lead (43-39), New Kent continued using a furious press after converting free throws. Stripping the ball from Miles, Kirsten Gipson hit a midrange jumper in front of the Lady Trojan bench and then found Goodlet who drew the foul on Charles City’s Miles, disqualifying her from the game.
With the extra ball handler for the Lady Panthers out the game, New Kent’s press became more effective. Paige Simpson’s steal and lay-up and two consecutive baskets from Goodlet highlighted a 10-2 run to give New Kent its first double-digit lead of the game (51-40). Charles City was unable to get any closer, as the guests failed to convert a field goal from the floor in the final 6:25 of the game and the Lady Trojans rolled to a 55-42 victory.
First year Lady Trojan head coach Ayla Young said after the game she emphasized being more aggressive on both sides of the ball in the rivalry contest.
“The press is something we’ve been working on,” said the victorious coach. “I told them to attack the goal and we were getting fouled.
“Our goal was to take the ball out of their hands and keep them from advancing down the court so their shooters couldn’t shoot,” she continued. “Also, I was surprised by our free throws tonight. It’s something that has been horrid all year, but tonight we converted them.”
New Kent converted 22 of 31 free throws, but four of those misses came in the waning moments of the game with the outcome already decided. By contrast, Charles City converted 16 of 25, something that frustrated Lady Panther head coach VaShaun Otey pointed out.
“Every time we are over here we come out flat,” said Otey, pointing to the inability to knock down free throws and the 32 turnovers on the night. “I don’t know why, but we are a totally different team when we come over here.
“It was tough tonight,” he continued. “We can’t let them [New Kent] get the momentum, but when they did, they rolled with it. They took us out of our offense and our flow was disrupted, especially when our main offensive contributors were unable to score.”
Victorious New Kent (2-1) was led by Goodlet’s game-high 18 points. Mathis also finished in double figures with 11 points. Anderson added seven, McClain contributed six, LaPrade scored five, Gipson tossed in four, and Simpson and Logyn Mills chipped in two apiece.
Charles City’s (2-2) Miles led the visitors with 11 points. Hailey Holmes scored nine, Davis added eight, Hill scored seven, and the quartet of Jones, Black, Taylor Bradby, and Meryah Bates chipped in two apiece.
New Kent’s Logyn Mills drives the ball up the floor with Charles City’s Hailey Holmes in pursuit.Alan Chamberlain photo
Charles City’s Hailey Holmes elevates as New Kent’s Adrienne Goodlet challenges the shot.Andre’ Jones photo
Lady Trojan Becky Anderson launches a shot over Lady Panther Jessica Hill that would eventually bank off the backboard and through the net.Andre’ Jones photo