Improving Lady Trojans continue quest to snap losing streak

New Kent's Kayla Davis (right) takes a swipe at the ball, trying to dislodge a rebound from the grasp of Smithfield's Tyla Hill.

Alan Chamberlain photo

New Kent’s Lady Trojans outscored Smithfield’s Packers 38-32 in the second half of the teams’ Tuesday night basketball clash. For the game, the host Lady Trojans poured in 59 points — their largest scoring output so far this season.

And those accomplishments did not come about against a bunch of second and third string reserves. The Packers have no bench. Only six dressed for the game.

But four of those six — a pair of six-foot-plus post players, another forward proficient from three-point-range, and a point guard who could penetrate, score, or dish off — presented serious match-up problems for New Kent. Smithfield took advantage, bolting to 25-point first half advantage and ultimately a 78-59 win.

“We’re getting there,” said Lady Trojan coach Vann Baker, whose team continues searching for its first win and now stands at 0-18.

“We were a little cold coming out, and it took a little time to settle down,” she said. “But we’re starting to put everything together and play the game. Our free throw shooting is much improved and our three-point shooting has improved. There are a lot of things to be happy about.”

New Kent, however, had no answer for Smithfield’s 6-foot-3 Shannon Atkinson who made her presence felt early on the way to a 32-point night. The visitors bolted to a 16-4 lead, but eight first quarter points from Kayla Davis plus a Peyton Slater three brought the hosts back within six at 18-12.

To take command, Smithfield extended its 1-3-1 zone defense after one quarter, pressuring the Lady Trojans into frequent turnovers leading to easy baskets. By halftime, the visitors had built a 46-21 advantage, but New Kent refused to back down after play resumed.

“We did a number of adjustments, and the girls were able to pick up on those adjustments much quicker than in the past,” Baker said.

One entailed challenging the Packers in the lane with a crisp, short-range passing attack that netted baskets.

“We cherry picked them and got the ball to the weak side of them,” Baker said. “It was just a matter of making that adjustment because they’re so big.”

Davis finished with a team-high 18 points, mostly in the paint. Teammate Deysha Goodlet scored 12 of her 14 points in the second half, also in the paint, while Slater took the long-range route, connecting four times from behind the arc for 12 of her 16 points. Tessa Gray’s six points, three from Nakesha Glover, and Kelsey Yates’ two completed New Kent’s scoring.