Lady Warrior pressure is too much for Lakeland

Published 12:00 am Saturday, December 9, 2006

Just over 24 hours after a nail-biting win over one of the best girls basketball teams in Australia, Nansemond River returned their attention back to more local matters Friday night as intra-city rival Lakeland came to River.

About midway through the second period, the Lady Warriors began to turn a close game into a rout and NR kept pulling away for a 67-40 win.

NR, now 3-1 overall and 1-0 in the district, placed three players in double figures with freshman Jessica Mayes leading all scorers with 18 points.

Email newsletter signup

The Lady Cavaliers got the opening score of the night with Sashae Ford knocking down a 15-foot baseline jumper, but NR responded with three straight buckets.

When Shannon Walker, who scored 13 of her 15 points in the first half, finished a lay-up off an assist from Mayes, NR led 6-2 with 5:49 left and Lakeland asked for a timeout.

Out of the timeout, Lakeland got back into the game.

Substitute Aldreona Williams checked in and quickly scored two buckets on the inside for Lakeland, making it 8-8.

NR’s defense allowed few good looks for Lakeland however, and the Lady Warrior press, for the second night in a row, caused a high number of turnovers.

NR took a 17-12 lead going to the second period, but again, Lakeland drew even as LeCetra Arrington tossed in two buckets, one a jumper from just beyond the foul line and the next a fast-break lay-up, in about 15 seconds’ time, making it 18-18 a couple minutes into the second period.

Soon after those two scores, Arrington went down in pain on a NR fast break.

She was able to be helped to the bench after a couple minutes, but she spent the rest of the night with ice on her ankle.

The injury took away one of Lakeland’s experienced players and best shooters.

With Lakeland having more problems on offense, NR pulled away with a 15-3 run from the time Arrington went down until halftime.

Walker was 7-for-10 from the line in the second period alone and Mayes added 11 points in the half.

Brittany Boyd was the main defensive force for NR, piling up six rebounds and four blocks in the half.

The third period was more of the same for the home team as Trinese Fox became the main source of offense.

Fox scored 12 of her 17 points in the second half and she also added six assists on the night.

Charae Rice made three field goals in the second half, finishing with seven points.

Boyd wound up with 10 rebounds and five blocks.

The score was 51-25 NR going to the last period.

Lakeland’s shooting got on track in the last period as LaCeder Odom and Ford connected on three-pointers and Kaylyn Chatman added four points, but NR’s lead was never in doubt.

Both Suffolk squads will be busy in district play in the upcoming week.

Lakeland (0-2, 0-1) will start a stretch of three games in four nights on Tuesday at home against Oscar Smith and NR (3-1, 1-0) hosts Deep Creek on Tuesday before also having games Thursday and Friday.