Lady Eagles keep on rolling in area play

Published 12:14 am Sunday, January 18, 2009

Not much can stop the Goshen Lady Eagles basketball team, at least as far as AHSAA Class 2A, Area 5 play is concerned. With the Lady Eagles’ 34-21 victory over Zion Chapel Saturday night the team improved to 4-3 overall and 4-0 in the area.

“It was a hard fought game, but our girls stayed in it and won the game,” GHS head coach Lindsey Hornbuckle said.

Hornbuckle said she is proud of the girls’ dedication to winning the game.

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“I have told the girls many times that when we go on the road we need to play like we are down 15 points and we will never have things handed to us,” she said. “And there is always that homefield advantage you obviously don’t have on the road. Our girls had to play perfect basketball to win tonight and they did just that.”

The Lady Eagles also experienced something they have not experienced all year on the road in Zion Chapel. Two Goshen players fouled out of the game for the first time this year.

Hornbuckle said that did not faze her team.

“I am extremely proud of how they stayed composed out there and picked up the win,” she said. “We had the two girls foul out and Zion Chapel was in the double bonus very early, but it did not affect our girls.”

Even while in foul trouble, Goshen never fell behind in the game.

Shelby Jo Vinson led the Lady Eagles with 12 points and 13 rebounds, but she was not alone in the double-double department. Diamond Cottrell posted 11 points and 13 rebounds for GHS. DeAnna McLeod was two points away from a double-double with eight points and 13 rebounds.

Niyoka Slater fueled the defense with nine steals on the evening with two rebounds.

The boys’ team (3-10, 1-3) also picked up a win in the packed house atmosphere. The Eagles took out Zion 67-62 after trailing by 11 points with five minutes to go in the game.

“I am proud of the effort our guys put into the game tonight,” GHS head coach Jonathan Deveridge said. “We had two freshman, one sophomore and two seniors out there in the final minutes and they stayed composed and were able to come back.

Senior Antwan Boswell may have had a hand in the comeback. He knocked down 14 free throws in the fourth quarter and finished the game with 26 points.

“Somehow the light switch got flipped on in Antwan’s head and he turned it on in the fourth quarter,” Deveridge said. “I told him he would have to push the ball and create offense and he did a great job attacking on offense.”

Right on Boswell’s heels was fellow senior Justin Senn. Senn nailed eight three pointers on the night and had one free throw to finish with 25 points.

“Justin really lit it up tonight,” Deveridge said.

Freshman Reginald Foster crashed the boards hard Saturday, coming away with 16 rebounds and he added seven points.

“Reginald is just a rebounding machine and he really helped us tonight,” Deveridge said.

The rest of the Eagles combined for the remaining nine points to get the win.

Deveridge said getting the first area win may be the best part about this season so far.

“That was a playoff atmosphere in there with a packed house and it was just a sweet win,” he said. “I would like to say thank you to all our fans who traveled to watch us. You all really got behind the boys in the fourth quarter and I think that was part of the reason they came back like they did.”

The B team (2-5) also won Saturday night, 41-31.

The Eagles and Lady Eagles host Zion Chapel tomorrow in what Deveridge called a Black Out.

“We are asking that everyone who comes to watch us play wear black so we can have our own Black Out Monday night,” he said.

Tip off for the B team game is set for 4:30 p.m. Fans can bring in one canned food item and get $1 off admission or bring in two or more cans for $2 off admission Monday.