Lakewood falls in fourth
Dec. 18—A packed parking lot set the stage for this intense matchup between county neighbors. The Lady Horses hopped on the highway and headed down Lakewood for a contest on the court. Three quarters of an intense exchange on the hardwood between the two teams. The Lady Leopards would run into a brick wall in the fourth as the Lady Horses galloped onward to victory, 48-31.
The game kicked off with neither appearing to hold an advantage over the other and remained deadlocked for a bit. The Lady Horses would break through and take the lead, a position they would hold for the majority of the contest. Lady Horse Ava Williford would sink a three from to keep the Leopards at bay, this would be the first and last three they'd get in the game. After a hard fought quarter, Clinton held a tenuous lead, 11-9.
It was a tough fight on the court with neither team keeping it easy. The chatter from the bleachers as more from the community rolled into a packed gymnasium added to the intensity with bragging rights up for grabs in this heated rivalry on the hardwood. The roar of an enthusiastic crowd hyped up the players on the court as Lakewood continued to push back against the opposition. Towards the end of quarter, fouls and penalties slowed the tempo considerably and ushered in free points. At halftime, Lakewood trailed by four in this heated affair, 22-18
The game continued on after the break much the same, neither team able to fully rally. The penalties exploded in the third with Lakewood looking to take advantage of the free opportunities at the net. However, at the charity line, the Lady Leopards struggled and made only four of their 10 shots, keeping them at a distance.
Lashaunta Joyner would hit her second three in the game to keep it close, but the scoring drought and Clinton's aggressive play, held Lakewood back once more. With only one quarter left of action, Clinton held a decent lead over the Leopards, 32-27.
Clinton would break free in the fourth as Lakewood floundered on the court. The Leopards would try to mount an assault but the play would either be defended or they'd lose possession. The final quarter was incredibly lopsided as the Dark Horses were starting to make it look easy, running into the paint uncontested or left open for a midrange jumper. Lakewood's four points in the fourth all came from the free throw line while Clinton rallied ahead with 16.
Clinton took their second win on the year, sitting even early in the season, 1-1, beating Lakewood, 48-31. Jianna Pickett would lead her team in points in this game at 13 with Jayla Pickett not far behind at 10.
Lakewood drops their fourth straight in the beginning stages of the season, looking for a win.
Reach Anthony McConnaughey at amcconnaughey@clintonnc.com or on Twitter @SportsSampson
