Warriors stumble at home versus Patriots
Published 11:59 am Monday, December 9, 2024
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Happy Valley’s Shaniece Gardner controls the opening tip for the Lady Warriors.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Josephine Zeoli drives the lane, scoring two of her 15 points on the night.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Cayden Anderson launches a 3-pointer during third-period action.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent The Lady Warriors display aggressive play near the rim.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Ron Paul Parker dashes past an East defender in the opening minutes of play against Sullivan East.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Lane Parker pulls up for an 8-foot jumper, scoring two of his 10 points.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Austin Stines protects the ball as he drives around a Patriots defender.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Head Warriors coach Shane Williams implores his squad to get back on defense.
Ron Marvel/Star Correspondent Dorian Young tries to keep Patriots center Eli Hubbard from getting too deep in the paint.
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By Ron Marvel
Star Correspondent
The Lady Warriors were on the wrong side of the scoreboard Friday night against the Lady Patriots, but they are a team showing improvement. Shaniece Gardner provided a spark early for the Lady Warriors, hitting back-to-back jumpers to cut the Lady Patriots’ lead to 6-4. Sullivan East responded with an 11-0 run, but the Lady Warriors came to fight and showed it with a 9-0 run of their own, chopping the Patriots’ lead to just four points at the 4:48 mark of the first period. However, just as the Lady Warriors grabbed momentum, the Lady Patriots took it right back with a 13-0 run to push the lead to 30-13 as the first period closed.
Trailing 32-13, Josephine Zeoli worked backdoor for a layup, shrinking the Lady Patriots’ lead to 32-15 at the 6:11 mark of the second period. The back-and-forth action continued as Sullivan East attempted to blow the game wide open, only to see the Lady Warriors chip away at their double-digit lead. The Lady Warriors cut the Patriots’ lead down to 17 in the waning seconds of the first half, but the Lady Patriots pushed it back to 20 as the teams headed into the break.
In the opening minutes of the second half, Cayden Anderson hit a 3-pointer to cut the Lady Patriots’ lead to 15, but once again, the Lady Patriots went on a run, pushing their lead to 56-32 at the 1:31 mark of the third period. The final quarter saw the Lady Warriors continue to fight but unable to close the lead to under 20. Josephine Zeoli hit a 3-pointer in the closing minutes of the final period to give the game its final score of 68-45. Zeoli finished with 15 points, while Anderson and Gardner chipped in 12 points each.
After the game, Lady Warriors head coach Dana Hill spoke about how, despite the loss, the Lady Warriors are showing improvement. “They looked better tonight. We went back and drew some things up on the chalkboard. Our offense looked better; we just have to learn to play better, that’s it,” Hill said.
Boys Varsity – Sullivan East 66, Happy Valley 45
The Warriors and the Patriots battled to a near draw in the opening period, with Ron Paul Parker scoring 10 points to kick off the game. The Patriots began to distance themselves in the second period, taking advantage of offensive rebounds and outscoring the Warriors 20-4 before the break.
The Warriors continued to battle, cutting Sullivan East’s lead to 10 at the 2:24 mark, but the Patriots responded with a 9-0 run to end the period, pushing the lead back to 54-33. The Warriors worked the deficit back under 20 before the Patriots hit a 3-pointer near the buzzer, extending their lead to 21 to end the game.
After the game, Warriors head coach Shane Williams acknowledged his team’s efforts but emphasized the need for improvement. “It’s never about effort with the Warriors; they have always displayed that. It’s more about getting skill and the IQ to match that effort,” Williams said.
