MOULTRIE — Increasing their overall record to 12-1, the Lady Packer varsity basketball team continued their winning streak as they prepare for region play, which will begin this Friday.
The score had reached 71-12 when the timer ran out in Wednesday’s home game against Cairo.
“When we play team ball we are hard to beat,” said head coach Rondesha Williams. “They are incredibly coachable and have really learned to play together.”
The Lady Packers immediately took control of the game, playing aggressively with a plethora of turnovers and both offensive and defensive rebounds.
Amira Walters-Smith scored the first points for the Lady Packers when she sank a 3-pointer one minute into the game.
During the first half, one more Lady Packer had a successful 3-point basket: Jamya Moore.
Additionally, six players – Moore, Amareyia Knighton, Walkers-Smith, D’Zeriyah Polite and Caylnn Singletary – managed to steal the ball a combined total of 14 times before the game went into recess.
In one of Moore’s turnovers, she launched the ball across court to Ameris Johnson, who was anticipating the pass and competed an easy lay-up.
The score was 34-6 when halftime was called.
When the game resumed, the Lady Packers amped up their playing level.
Six more 3-point baskets were made – three from Walters-Smith, one from Moore, one from Singletary and one from Polite.
Adding seven more turnovers to the tally were: Knighton, Walters-Smith, Moore, Dalivia McBride and Aubrey Edge.
In just the couple minutes she played, Edge also had two rebounds and one successful basket.
“It’s important to get the younger players in when we can,” said Williams when asked why, in the final minutes of the game, she did a 5-player substitution. “They are our future in Lady Packer basketball, and they work just as hard.”
Throughout the game, eight other Lady Packers secured the ball after a missed basket: Singletary, Johnson, Moore, McBride, Knighton, Nyleigha Knighton, Polite and Nacardia Robinson.
Each Lady Packer who saw playing time contributed at least one basket to the final score.
Walters-Smith had the most points at 20, followed by Amareyia Knighton with 12.
“We switched things up this game,” said Williams. “In preparation to playing Richmond Hill on Friday, we changed from a man-to-man defense to a 2-3 zone. We also called more offensive plays.”
The Lady Packers will have their first region match with the home court advantage. The game begins at 4:30 p.m., Jan. 12.