Girls celebrate Senior Night district win over Hamlin
By Sam Waller
Celebration was in the air Friday night, Jan. 28, and the Albany Lady Lions added to the mood with a 50-36 victory against Hamlin for their first District 10-2A win.
Albany opened the week on Tuesday, Jan. 25, with 45-36 loss at Hawley.
On Tuesday, Feb. 1, the Lady Lions lost 67-17 at Cisco. Albany (3-17 overall, 1-9 district) hosts Anson on Friday, Feb. 4, in its final home game of the season.
The Lady Lions showed progress against Hawley, which won 52-29 in the first meeting on Dec. 21. After falling behind 14-7 in the first quarter, Albany was able to stay with the Lady Bearcats the rest of the way, posting an 11-10 edge in the fourth quarter.
Kiana Roberson scored 19 points with Ashlyn Holson adding eight.
HAWLEY 45, ALBANY 36
ALBANY – Ashlyn Holson 8, Briley Tabor 2, Avery Kleiner 3, Lizzie Chavez 4, Kiana Roberson 19.
Albany 7 11 7 11 - 36
Hawley 14 13 8 10 - 45
The game against Hamlin was preceded by Senior Night activities honoring Lady Lions Avery Kleiner and Lizzie Chavez. The Lady Lions kept the party going by snapping an 11-game losing streak.
“The reason we won this game is the girls busted their tails,” Lady Lions coach Tate Thompson said. “I told them that teams that are like 21-2 have forgotten what it’s like to lose, and unfortunately we went through a rough stretch. It makes it that much sweeter when we pull off a win like that.”
Thompson said he is optimistic the Lady Lions can continue improving in their final three games. Albany closes the season Tuesday, Feb. 8 at No. 6 Stamford.
“I told the girls why not roll the rest of district like that, fighting and playing with confidence no matter who we’re playing, and end on a good note,” he said.
Roberson finished with 20 points and Holson added nine to lead Albany.
“It really makes me happy because we won on our Senior Night,” said Chavez, who contributed six points. “It makes us feel good.”
Albany never trailed after Kleiner hit the team’s first basket, a 3-pointer with 5:01 to go in the first quarter.
“It was very important to keep the lead because this is one of our wins playing our last year for Albany,” said Kleiner, who finished with seven points.
But the result didn’t come easy. Albany led 23-12 at halftime and pushed the lead to 13 points on a Kleiner basket to start the third quarter, then Hamlin went on a 13-6 run to get within 29-25 in the last two minutes of the period.
“We had to quit fouling them,” Thompson said, noting the Lady Pipers made seven of eight free throws in the quarter. “Hamlin put us on the line in the first half. We told them don’t bail them out with fouls, then we did it.”
A pep talk during a timeout help stem the tide.
“They responded in a positive way,” Thompson said. “Some teams will shut down when you get onto them, but these girls responded in a good way.”
Albany scored the first six points of the fourth quarter to push the margin back to 10 points and maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way.
ALBANY 50, HAMLIN 36
ALBANY – Ashlyn Holson 9, Briley Tabor 6, Avery Kleiner 7, Lizzie Chavez 6, Kiana Roberson 20, Callan Edgar 2.
Hamlin 5 7 17 7 - 36
Albany 10 13 10 17 - 50
