Lamar’s defense and Durant’s offense dominate HKT
Simone Durant dribbles down the court trying to make it to the hoop
Photos by Drake Horton
By Drake Horton, Contributing Writer
If the saying is true that defense wins championships then the Lamar Lady Silver Foxes basketball team looks to be in good shape for the Class 1A girls’ basketball state championship.
After earning a bye in the first round, the Lady Silver Foxes soundly defeated the Hunter-Kinard-Tyler (HKT) Lady Trojans this past Thursday in Lamar by a score of 38-20.
While Lamar’s offense was sluggish at times its defense was spectacular, holding HKT to just two points in the first quarter, four points in the second quarter and five points in the fourth quarter.
Laquan Coe calls to teammates while trying to make a pass.
“Well the defense played great,” said Lamar girls head coach Randolph Scott after the game. “We had a plan coming in, what we wanted to do was just down their middle. We had heard that they had pretty decent girl in the middle and that is what we focused on, to try and stop the girls in the middle, to jump start, and we really wanted to find out if they could handle the basketball or not; that is why we opened up with the full court press.”
The Lady Trojans best offensive quarter was the third quarter and in it they still only scored nine points, never scoring over ten points in a quarter for the entire game.
But while the Lady Silver Foxes defense was suffocating on HKT, their offense was less than impressive, struggling to make open shots.
“Once we got the basketball, I don’t know if it was nerves, being in this situation,” Scott said on the lack of offense in the first half. “We are still a young basketball team and I encourage them, even in tough situations, you have to find a way to win and you have to find a way to finish plays and you have to find a way to have that mindset at whatever cost.”
In the first quarter, while HKT scored only two points, the Lady Silver Foxes scored just four and it did not get much better in the second quarter as Lamar outscored the Lady Trojans by just three points, scoring a total of just seven for the quarter.
“In the first quarter we struggled because I think we were just anxious,” Scott said on his team scoring only four points in the opening period.
Lamar’s offense did wake up in the second half, especially in the third quarter when the Lady Silver Foxes, led by Simone Durant when on a 13-0 run that ran into the beginning of the fourth quarter.
“In the first half I don’t think our region player of the year had a basket, I don’t think Simone Durant scored,” Scott said. “I challenged her at half that she had to get more involved with the game and she did do that.”
Durant, who led the Silver Foxes in scoring with 12 points, scored all of her points in the second half.
“At the beginning I wasn’t really executing like I am supposed to, but in the second half I started making shots for my team,” Durant said.
Lamar is now 16-6 on the year and headed to the third round of the playoffs to take on the Timmonsville Whirlwinds Monday, February 20; they have defeated them twice this year already.
The winner advances to the upper state championship game this coming Saturday.
County Recap
Darlington Falcons
The Falcons were one and done this playoff season, losing to Berkley this past Tuesday, February 14, 50-42 on the road at Berkley High School. The Stags outscored the Falcons 24-8 in the final quarter.
Darlington Lady Falcons
The Lady Falcons went 1-1 in the playoffs, upsetting Berkley this past Tuesday, February 14, 37-22, before losing to Myrtle Beach this past Friday 46-22. Both games were on the road.
Hartsville Red Foxes
The Red Foxes upset Colleton County 67-60 this past Wednesday on the road, before running into the undefeated Wilson Tigers, losing this past Friday 73-54.
Hartsville Lady Red Foxes
The Lady Red Foxes won convincingly at home this past Tuesday, February 14 at home, defeating Stall 70-31. Hartsville’s season came to an end, however, this past Friday, losing on the road to Lower Richland 55-53.
Simone Durant looks for an opening against the Lady Trojans.