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Lady Jackets 2nd leading scorer junior Baylie Bridges and leading scorer sophomore sensation Ashley Perry |
LADY JACKETS EARN 5TH STATE FINAL FOUR TRIP
Gerald Lacey
Staff Writer
Carver Heights Quarterback Club
February 19, 2011
Land O' Lakes - The Yellow Jackets rode a ferocious defensive effort in the second Saturday to a 61-49 win against Land O' Lakes in the Class 4A-Region 2 Championship Game. The Lady Jackets overcame a determined and hard working Land O Lakes team. The Lady Gators came ready to play and gave Leesburg all that it could handle but in the end the Lady Jackets prevailed. The win earned Leesburg its third state semifinal appearance in five years.
St. Petersburg Lakewood advanced to Friday's state semifinals with a 61-48 win against Naples Barron Collier.
“These kids set that as their goal back in the spring,” Leesburg coach Mark Oates said. “I promised this senior class that before they left we would get back to Lakeland.”
Leading the way for the Lady Jackets was sophomore sensation Ashley Perry with 17 points and 6 steals. Perry will follow in her grandfather Mathis Walker (starting point guard Leesburg 1977 State Boys Championship Team) and Father Bill Perry (starting guard Eustis High 1991 Class 2A State Championship Game) footsteps earning a trip to the State Basketball Final Four.
Baylie Bridges had 14 points and 4 steals.
Florida A&M signee Jaleesa Blue knocked in 13 points and pulled down 13 boards along with 3 blocks, 5 steals and 4 assists.
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| Lady Jackets sophomore guard had 10 points, 8 rebounds and 5 steals |
Sophomore Joharra Russell had 10 points, 8 rebounds and 5 steals. She was also responsible for the primary defense on Land O Lakes best player, point guard Shanel Sweet who finished with 20 points but wore down at the end. Russell's is the second in her family to earn a trip to Lakeland. Russell's 1st cousin former Lady Jackets standout LaToya Foster was a starter on the Lady Jackets 2007 and 2008 Final Four teams.
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| Lady Jackets Junior guard Reiana Carter |
Shaundrea Caldwell chipped in with four points and two rebounds off the bench.
Ashley Lanier dropped in three points, but also grabbed six rebounds and six steals.
The Lady Jackets found their shooting touch in the third quarter coupled with a suffocating defense ended Land O'Lakes' hopes of a State Tournament appearance Saturday night as the Gators fell in the Class 4A region finals. Saturday's game was only the second time the Lady Gators had reached the Elite Eight. Land O'Lakes were trying to become the first team from Pasco county to reach the final four in 25 years.
"No one expected us to get this far," Land O'Lakes coach Laurie Tyszko said. "We played our hearts out."
The Lady Jackets displayed the type of relentless defense that Mark Oates teams have a reputation for statewide. Leesburg (23-6) forced 26 turnovers in the win. If Land O' Lakes (24-3) was able to get the ball across half court, it was a small success. Once the ball got over half court the Lady Gators were to tired to get into a offensive rhythm.
"The third quarter has been big for us all year," Leesburg coach Mark Oates said. "We should have exploded in the first quarter, but we missed 11 layups in the first half."
Leesburg came out and displayed it's offensive firepower early going up 7-0 in the first stanza. The Gators, however, would not lay down and came back to take a 13-11 first-quarter lead thanks in big part to sophomore Simone Brown's eight points.
Brown, finished with 17 points. The Gators' leading scorer, senior Shanel Sweet, finished with 20 points despite coming up empty in the first quarter. Sweet found it difficult to get into a offensive flow with Lady Jackets sophomore guard Joharra Russell applying smothering defense on her. Visibly fatigued after the first half, Brown, Sweet and the rest of the Gators were forced into playing the fast break.
"We wanted to turn up the defense and try to take (Sweet) out of the game, and I think we did that," Yellow Jackets coach Mark Oates said.
The Lady Gators were outscored 18-8 in the third quarter and never recovered.
"In the second half, we wanted to play full court on (Sweet) and make her expend energy," Oates said. "I thought she wore down as the game went on and that was the game plan. Just like the old saying, 'If you cut off the head, the body will follow.' "
"I knew it was coming," Tyszko said of Leesburg's second-half onslaught. "Shantel told me at halftime she had nothing left to give."
Resources
Staff Writer
Carver Heights Quarterback Club
February 19, 2011
About the Author
Gerald is a professional Internet marketer and social media marketing expert. His online business ventures and websites generate multiple streams of income annually. His consulting clients include best selling authors and international speakers. Gerald is the CEO/President of Lacey LLC and OmariWholesale, Inc. He runs his entire business from his home where he is able to spend quality time with his family and friends. He is passionate about helping individuals to build and monetize their personal brand online.
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