Mykaila Smith drives the ball down the court.
By Scott Richards
CP Correspondent
The Caroline girls basketball team disappointed those spectators who were expecting a knock-down, drag-out game against visiting James Monroe. The only ones that got knocked down and drug out were the James Monroe players as the 9-3 Caroline Lady Cavaliers, led by Hope Toliver and Jazmen Moore, annihilated the Yellow Jackets 72-51 last Friday.
Despite the size differential of JM, the only time they were in the game was in the very beginning. It did not take the Cavaliers long to launch a well disciplined attack that left JM in a state of confusion for most of the game.
Working both inside with Toliver’s under-basket prowess and the outside shot of Moore, the Cavs put on an offensive clinic for the visitors. The Caroline guards pressed, taking away any plans of working the ball up court. In the third quarter, the Yellow Jackets reached the pinnacle of disorganization as the only play they had was a run-and-gun offense.
Jazmen Moore snatches the ball.
The Lady Cavaliers played the entire game at a fast pace that showed the physical condition of the team. Their attack on JM was relentless, never letting up and constantly pushing even when they found themselves well ahead in the second half. Toliver and Moore were not the only stars of this game. Freshmen guards Mykaila Smith and NyAsia Brown showed no fear in effectively challenging players much bigger than themselves, while sophomore Alexis Brown made her presence known under the basket.
With a strong team of players who know their positions and execute them well, it is little wonder the competition was left behind last Friday night. Leading the scoring for the Cavaliers were Toliver with 29 points, Jayla McNeil with 18, and Moore with 16.
“They worked hard this week,” commented Cavalier head coach Tim Marshal, “and they came out more aggressive. This was the third game this week—I know they are tired.”
In the fourth quarter, JM’s 6-3 freshman Shakira Austin found her inside game scoring 16 points on the night, but it was too little, too late. Coach Don Joy declined to comment; he just shook his head.
The Lady Cavs are a team in the building stages. With only one senior, Jazmen Moore, Marshall and his assistant coach Brooks have a strong developing group of underclassmen complementing the juniors on the team.
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