CLASS 4A REGION 2 GIRLS BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW LEESBURG AT LAND O LAKES

Sophomore Joharra Russell is averaging 9.6 PPG and 4.1 RPG for the Lady Jackets

Lady Jackets will have to win on the road tonight 

Gerald Lacey
Staff Writer
Carver Heights Quarterback Club

February 19, 2011

LEESBURG - Leesburg Head Coach Mark Oates will take his Lady Jackets on the road tonight to face Land O Lakes for the Class 4A Region 2 Girls Basketball Championship. The Lady Gators are undefeated at home this year riding a 19 game home win streak. Oates has led his team to the Elite Eight 3 times in the last five years. With a win tonight the Lady Jackets will secure their 5th State Final Four appearance in the program's storied history.

"I think we are finally playing within ourselves," Oates said. "We are doing a better job of doing the things that we have to do to win."

The Lady Jackets dominated the backboards Tuesday in a 52-36 win against Gainesville Eastside in a Class 4A-Region 2 semifinal game. They will need another strong performance on the backboards by Florida A&M University signee Jaleesa Blue and senior Ashley Lanier. Blue led the Lady Jackets on the boards with 17 and Ashley Lanier finished with 16.  

Senior Center Ashley Lanier grab 16 rebounds in the Regional Semifinal win over Gainesville Eastside. Lanier is averaging 6.7 PPG and 7.8 RPG

"I thought last night [a 52-36 victory over Gainesville Eastside in the region semifinal] may have been our best defensive effort of the season and we did a much better job of rebounding," said Oates.

Three Lady Jackets are scoring in double figures, sophomore sensation Ashley Perry is leading the team in scoring averaging 13.7 PPG.  Oates also expects a big performance from junior guard Baylie Bridges who is the Lady Jackets second leading scorer averaging 13.2 PPG. Jaleesa Blue is the Jackets leading rebounder with 11.4 RPG and is averaging a double double for the season.

Florida A&M signee Jaleesa Blue the Lady Jackets leading rebounder is averaging a double double game this season with 11.3 PPG and 11.4 RPG.

If Land O Lakes wins tonight it will be the first team in Pasco county since Zephyrhills in 1986 to reach the state tournament. The Bulldogs lost to Gibbs in the championship and is the only Pasco County school to reach the final four. The Lady Gators are led by Senior guard Shantel Sweet and sophomore Simone Brown. Brown is a transfer from Wesley Chapel High School played in the Class 4A-Region 2 final game last season. She will be the only Lady Gator with Regional Final's expierence.

For Brown, the Land O' Lakes sophomore is the only player on the team that knows what to expect but isn't giving any tips on what to do – just what not to do.

"Last year, we had a sleepover the night before (the region final) and we lost," said Brown, who is averaging 13.3 points and 12.5 rebounds a game. "We sat around and ate candy and didn't get much sleep. I told Coach (Laurie Tyszko) I didn't want to do that this year."

Brown said she hasn't said a lot to the other girls about what to expect today.

"I don't want them to get nervous," she said. "It's a great experience but can be intense, too. Hopefully, we'll use that intensity in the game this year."

Land O Lakes Head Coach Laurie Tyszko is in her first year as coach of the Gators.

"I hope we get to state," Tyszko said. "I think our team is good enough. We were really nervous against Gulf. We had wanted to play them all season. We thought we were going to win but you never know. We've accomplished a lot this season."

Leesburg (22-6) at Land O'Lakes (24-2)

About Leesburg: The Yellow Jackets have won 13 of 14 games and are looking to return to the state finals after making back-to-back appearances in 2007 and '08. Jaleesa Blue, Baylie Bridges and Ashley Perry average double figures in scoring.

About Land O'Lakes: The Gators are on a 19-game winning streak and are undefeated at home. Senior guard Shanel Sweet has gone over the 1000 point mark in her career,  averages 18 points and five assists a game while sophomore Simone Brown contributes 13 points and 12 rebounds per game.

Looking ahead: The winner will face the St. Petersburg Lakewood-Naples Barron Collier winner in a state semifinal. Leesburg was a Final Four team in 1976,1977, 2007 and 2008.

Article provided by:

Carver Heights Quarterback Club

www.leesburgladyjacketsbasketball.com

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Gerald Lacey
Staff Writer
Carver Heights Quarterback Club
February 19, 2011

About the Author

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