AVON - Protecting a lead and overcoming some anxious late game jitters were the Riverside Lady Bulldogs major challenges in high school basketball action on Thursday night against the West Tallahatchie County Lady Choctaws.
Thanks to a clutch layup in the lane and a couple of free throws from point guard Alexandria Johnson, the Lady Bulldogs prevailed 48-42.
“Right now it’s just a matter of my team getting use to the way I coach,” said Marlon Dorsey who is in his first season at Riverside. “I want them to play hard and learn how to play the game.”
Riverside came out of the locker room at the half establishing a quick offensive flow as Karlasia Lewis made an easy layup off feed from Kamaya Evans.
West Tally’s Miki Christian answered back with a three from the top of the key. Preserving a slim margin, Johnson and Lewis converted consecutive shots with one minute remaining in the third quarter and the momentum shifted noticeably in the home team’s as they carried a 35-31 lead into the third quarter.
Johnson knocked down a jumper from the wing to on her team’s first possession of the fourth quarter. However, Lady Choctaw’s guard Christian responded with a three pointer and layup. Riverside led 39-36 with 6:25 remaining in the game.
Riverside held a comfortable five-point lead at 18-13 at the 5:09 mark of the second quarter and began a series of possession that resulted in four turnovers and six quick West Tally points. The visitors took a 19-18 lead.
The teams traded buckets and leads over the next two minutes as erratic play and scrambles for loose balls continued.
Meanwhile the Lady Bulldogs settled into an offensive rhythm where four different players scored baskets during the stretch. However, West Tally led 28-22 at the half.
West Tally had trouble scoring over the Lady Bulldogs interior size but continued to crash the offensive glass for rebounds and open looks at three point shots. This was indicative of how the visitors made the game competitive all evening.
“They had problem with our size,” Dorsey said. “She (Riverside center Mya Davis) did a great job protecting the rim and contesting shots. Right now their bodies are not used to the demands of the action and they are think way more than they are reacting. Sometimes it might look like they’re tired but they are thinking about the right thing to do. By January I want them to be fully conditioned mentally and physically to play at a high level throughout the game.”
