Lexington girls aim for the top
Thu. February 02, 2012 at 9:45 p.m. | By Jason Queen
Lexington’s Alexis Fowler takes a shot in the lane against West Davidson’s Maggie Hughes on Jan. 24. (Photo by Donnie Roberts/The Dispatch)
With 33 straight Central Carolina Conference wins and three straight 2-A state championships, Salisbury has earned a reputation as the Goliath of girls’ basketball in this area.
Lexington hopes it’s collected enough stones to slay the giant tonight.
The Yellow Jackets have come a long way in a short time, and host the Hornets at 6 p.m. in the most meaningful girls’ game at Lexington in several years.
“I think this is a huge game for us,” second-year coach Lamont Johnson said Thursday. “They’ve been battling the last two games (a one-point win over Thomasville on Saturday and an overtime victory over Central Davidson on Tuesday), and, even though Thomasville whipped us pretty good, we feel like we’re just as good as Thomasville.
“I think if we play real well, it’s gonna be another tough one for them.”
Those are bold words, but Johnson believes in his team. So far, the Jackets have shown they deserve such high praise, and that’s a far cry from three or four seasons ago when the Jackets were lucky to win two conference games.
“Myself and my staff, we bring a lot of excitement to the program,” Johnson said. “We bring a lot of energy; and, we expect them to perform.
“I’m not sure if those expectations were there before. Our expectations are high. We can’t always reach them, but we always set them high.”
Of course it helps to have players who can deliver on those high hopes. Junior Jasmine Carter is the heart and soul of the team, and she is a bona fide CCC player of the year candidate. She does most of her damage around the basket, posting up and rebounding. But she is versatile enough to bring the ball up the floor and occasionally knock down an open 3-pointer. Sophomore Alexis Fowler provides a brutal 1-2 punch for Lexington in the paint, creating severe matchup troubles for opponents.
If Lexington can get solid play from its guards, the Jackets can push the Hornets. Brittany Jones nailed four 3-pointers against West Davidson on Tuesday, and the team hit eight altogether. Production like that on the perimeter would create some opportunities for Carter and Fowler in the paint.
Salisbury counters with an awfully potent 1-2 punch of its own. Sophomore Brielle Blaire is a dominant player that can take over a game in the post or behind the 3-point line, and guard Doreen Richardson keys a tenacious Salisbury defense.
A win over Salisbury would provide a signature moment for Johnson and the Jackets, who have long played second fiddle to the boys’ team at Lexington. “That was one of our goals when we got here, we want people to get to the games at 6 o’clock instead of 6:45,” he said. “I think we’re starting to generate that excitement.
“We’re not where we want to be yet, but I think if we keep doing the things we’re doing we’ll get there. We’ll get to where people start coming to the game at 6 o’clock and staying ‘til 9:30.”
Should the Jackets knock off Salisbury, they would have a chance to finish in second place in the league standings and host a playoff game. Johnson said he couldn’t remember the last time the Jackets’ girls hosted a playoff game, and that would also provide a monumental boost to the program.
But, first things first. The Hornets know they walk in with a huge bull’s eye on their backs. The Jackets will be slinging those stones and hoping to land enough to knock that giant down.
Jason Queen can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 220 or jason.queen@the-dispatch.com.