School News

 

Girls MS Basketball Wins Burke Tournament

by Dave Levy
 
After the last game of the 2015-16 season, Coach Mallory addressed the Middle School girls basketball team one final time. “We improved a lot this year,” she said. Mallory proceeded to draw their record on her whiteboard. The team was 5-5. “We won just as many games as we lost this year,” Mallory remarked, “and we don’t have any 8th graders. We’re only going to get better.” 
 
The facts speak for themselves.
 
In the 2013-14 season, when this girls team was just getting their start, they scored 29 points the whole season. Last Saturday, they scored 30–twice. 
 
At the Burke Tournament on December 3, 2016, the Leopards took on the Burke team first. During warm-ups they showed they were serious and full of purpose. So, when Frankie scored 6 points in the first minute, nobody was surprised. The Leopards held their early lead never looking back. The team only allowed one Burke field goal in the first quarter, in part due to the ferocious defense and lateral speed of Gabby. Kate and Leah worked together to defend the top of the zone.
 
Elka ran the point with patience unprecedented for a middle school player. Wise beyond her years, Elka set up her teammates for good shots. Tenaya took a key jumper from the baseline, drawing a foul. Lillian and Juliana had scoring opportunities close to the basket, Juliana finishing with 9 points.  
 
Harper, Elise, and Catherine got their feet wet, pressuring the ball at the top of the key as well. Ainsley took a number of open shots showing that she will continue to be a threat for opponents all season. Lowell earned 30 points for the first time in team history winning 32-13. 
 
Then it got it interesting…
 
Sheridan won a close game against Green Acres. The Leopards stood tall against Sheridan for the championship game despite the fact that the previous four games against the competition (27-4, 28-9, 28-7, 19-12) were losses.
 
Lowell came out with a vengeance. Led by the savvy leadership of Elka (17 points) the team was prepared to show that they are a new team—experienced, talented, and well coached. Elka scored at will. Her jump shot features a follow through that would make Breanna Stewart jealous. Her footwork at the rim demonstrates incredible balance, and if you choose to foul Elka, well, she’s perfect from the line as well. But she couldn’t break the Sheridan press alone. Kate helped to bring the ball up the floor, unafraid of contact. She was willing to put her body on the line for every loose ball, finding Juliana who was always open against the pressure and who converted a number of key layups.  
 
Lowell’s lead at half time was eight points: their work was not done. Lillian continued to crash the boards, rebounding at will. Both Elka and Juliana had three fouls–so Gabby and Leah provided key minutes off the bench. Leah whipped the ball around the perimeter with precision passing while Gabby made it tough for Sheridan’s guards to do much of anything.
 
Up 27-13 at the end of the third quarter, the team was starting to believe in themselves. The energy in the building – on our bench, in the bleachers, and on the other bench as well—was that of a crowd that knew: the past is in the past – Lowell is for real. 
 
As the final seconds ticked away, the smiles on the faces of the Lowell players told the story. Lowell earned first place in the tournament winning 31-20. Including the boys win last season, this is the second year in a row that Lowell has won at the Burke Tournament. This Lowell team is undefeated, talented, strong, and full of confidence. The sky is the limit. Congratulations, Middle School Girls Leopards–Champions of the 2016 Edmund Burke Middle School Basketball Tournament.
 
Lowell girls beat a determined Sheridan team a second time in a close rematch on Wednesday, December 7. Lowell girls won in overtime with a free throw for the record books. Frankie’s game-winning shot not only cemented the win against Sheridan but kept the team’s undefeated streak alive.
 
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