On Friday January 31, the Leesville’s women’s basketball (13-5) team played in one of the biggest games of the season. It was a huge matchup against rival Millbrook (15-4).
“We know a couple girls from that side so we take it personal”, said Nia Young, junior guard on the team, about the intensity of the game. Both teams were fighting for a quality win to set themselves up for a better seed in the conference tournament.
The Pride came out sluggish and were not playing their best game. They weren’t able to handle the ball and had several turnovers early in the game.
Leesville was able to keep it close though only trailing 15-10 after the first quarter. The second quarter was just worst for the Pride — turnovers and lack of rebounding cost them. They would trail 27-15 at halftime.
The Pride offense would wake up in the third quarter though, behind a barrage of three-pointers from Nia Young. Leesville would trail 34-28 after the third quarter, outscoring Millbrook 13-7 in the quarter.
Millbrook would regain the momentum, though, in the fourth quarter and would finish off a 52-39 win over Leesville.
The Pride had almost all of their points scored by three players, Nia Young (19 points), Lucy Leen (9 points), and Paige Van Gorden (9 points). The Pride was firing from all cylinders at the three-point line, hitting nine three’s, most of them coming from Young who hit five three’s. Leen also had a great game behind the arch hitting three, three-pointers.
Even though it was a rough game the Pride looked on the brightside afterwards. “I thought we did well creating scoring opportunities for ourselves, and then knocking down the shots when we needed to,” said Leen.
“We need to come out starting strong and not dig ourselves a hole because in the end that is what kind of cost us,” said Van Gorden.
Leesville and Southeast Raleigh faceoff for the second time this season on Friday, February 7 at Leesville for the Pride’s senior night. Leesville lost the first game 65-45 but look to come out on top this time.
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