Lady Lions to host Seymour, Gorman
By Sam Waller
The Albany Lady Lions opened their basketball season on a successful note, beating Paint Creek 50-6 on Saturday, Nov. 12, at home.
The Lady Lions made their first road trip of the season Tuesday, Nov. 15, with a visit to Gordon, losing 59-12. Details will be reported next week.
Albany’s next games are Monday, Nov. 21 at home against Seymour, and Tuesday, Nov. 22 at Gorman before taking off for the Thanksgiving break.
Against Paint Creek, Briley Tabor scored 19 points and Kiana Roberson added 12. Tabor hit five of the team’s seven 3-pointers.
“The girls’ confidence level is higher than I expected, and that’s a good thing,” Albany coach Tate Thompson said.
The Lady Lions overcame a slow start that saw them trail 3-2 with 2:30 to go in the first quarter by scoring 34 consecutive points. Paint Creek went more than 21 minutes between baskets as Albany pushed the lead to 36-3 entering the fourth quarter.
Albany held a 43-23 rebounding edge and committed just seven turnovers to Paint Creek’s 25.
“Right now, our biggest thing is we can’t simulate games in practice,” Thompson said. “Games are going to be our best way to get in shape and also to see areas where we’re lacking. Anytime we get court time with an opponent is a big deal.”
Thompson said the team’s youth only magnifies the issue.
“There were a couple of times we had four freshmen on the floor,” he said. They need to get those minutes and play with the older girls. We’re still figuring out what’s our best combination, our best five and everybody’s role in the game.”
Freshman Kaisley Bartee, who scored six points off the bench, put Albany ahead to stay at 4-3 late in the first quarter. With the Lady Lions ahead 8-3 early in the second, Tabor scored 10 consecutive points in a little more than three minutes to break the game open.
Thompson said he could see progress from the team’s lone scrimmage, played Tuesday, Nov. 5 against Coleman.
“We’re getting better defensively about ball pressure,” he said. “I’ve got some young ones who need to log some minutes to get them experience in game situations. We’ve got to get everyone playing together and jelling together.”
One area Thompson said he expects to improve is shooting.
“We obviously need to spend more time in the gym because our outside shots are not good right now,” he said. “We can never shoot enough in practice, so the girls need to get in the gym on their own time and get where they’re confident shooting the ball. That way, when people do pack it in a zone, we’re able to hurt them.”
ALBANY 50, PAINT CREEK 6
ALBANY – Briley Tabor 19, Kiana Roberson 12, Kaisley Bartee 6, Callan Edgar 5, Braylyn Abbate 4, Caroline Holson 2, Caroline Chapman 2.
Paint Creek 3 0 0 3 - 6
Albany 6 20 10 14 - 50
