Lady Cavs split first Battlefield games
Posted on Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at 2:13 pm
Caroline's Jazmen Moore (No. 3) struggles for a loose ball at Spotsylvania.
By Richard Dawson
The Caroline High School girls basketball team completed a busy week, winning two out of the three games. They beat non-conference foe King William while having mixed results against Battlefield District opponents Courtland and Spotsylvania.
Junior Shannon Mosby led the team in scoring in all three outings. Mosby scored 17 points in a 56-28 victory at King William on Monday and followed with a 20-point performance when the host Lady Cavaliers fell 63-41 to Courtland on Tuesday. Her 11 points led the team in its 41-37 triumph at Spotsylvania on Friday.
Against Spotsylvania Jasmine Smith made a free throw to give the Lady Cavaliers their biggest lead of the game, 40-30, late in the fourth quarter. With 1:12 left, however, the Lady Knights rallied with a 7-1 run behind freshman Kortni Simons, who finished with a team-high 26 points. Her smooth ball handling skills helped the Lady Knights score on fast breaks down the stretch, and the Lady Cavaliers compounded their problems with late fouls.
Mosby shot only 10 percent from the field but was 9-of-12 from the foul line and also led the team with three steals and three assists. Sophomore Bo Hayes added 10 points for Caroline and led the team with 10 rebounds.
The Lady Cavs looked sharp, moving the ball confidently, and their fast-paced play induced the Lady Knights to foul. Caroline shot only 22 percent from the field but made 78 percent of their free throws.
Coach Tim Marshall was not happy to see the team relinquish its 10-point lead late in the game and said they need to improve.
Janae McNeal scored 24 points, Jessica Harriston, 16, and Imani Fennell, 15, in leading Courtland past the Lady Cavaliers.
The teams were tied 17-17 after one quarter, but Courtland took the lead for good in the second quarter. Courtland controlled the ball well and moved it effectively with crisp passing. On defense, they effectively closed lanes and forced Mosby to take off-balance jump shots, although she was still 7-of-17 from the field.
Caroline shot 29 percent from the field but only got to the foul line eight times. Hayes again paced the team with 13 rebounds, including eight on the defensive boards.
Against King William the Lady Cavaliers battled in a closely fought second quarter while dominating the other three periods.
DeAndrea Spurlock added 11 points for Caroline and paced the team with six steals, and Nikia Robinson led the team with 10 rebounds. Jazmen Moore added five steals. Caroline collected 48 rebounds, and Mosby, Spurlock and Julie Lee were all perfect at the foul line.
The Lady Cavaliers were scheduled this week to host Essex on Monday and James Monroe on Tuesday.
Caroline will participate in a tournament at Patrick Henry Dec. 28-30, starting with a match-up against Powhatan.
