Coming off their highest offensive output of the season, the Brownwood Lady Lions turned in their best defensive effort of the 2023-24 campaign Tuesday night at Warren Gym with a 62-13 victory over the San Angelo Lake View Maidens.
The Lady Lions (12-6) flirted with a program record as through three periods, Lake View (0-16) had mustered just four points. The fewest points allowed by a Brownwood girls team came on Dec. 4, 2018 when the Lady Lions yielded just six points to Menard. This season, Brownwood’s previous low was yielding 19 points in a win over Dublin back on Nov. 30.
After surrendering only two free throws and one bucket through the first 26:44 of the contest, the Lady Lions witnessed Lake View’s Laurie O’Donnell knock down a three-pointer with 5:16 left in the contest, ending Brownwood hopes of a new program record as the Maidens shaved the deficit to 56-7.
Despite a late flourish of points from Lake View, which still turned over the ball 22 times, Lady Lions head coach Heather Hohertz was pleased with a defensive effort the included just one point allowed in the first half.
“I challenged them to stay active and play the gaps,” Hohertz said. “Sometimes five out can give us trouble and we adjusted pretty well to that and I thought they stay motivated to be active on defense.”
On the offensive end for the Lady Lions, three players finished in double figures as Trinity Roberts and Kimber Green led the charge with 12 points each, Miranda Northcutt added 10, Hannah Deen chipped in eight, Icess Hall finished with six, Nylah Hall and Olivia Ringer tacked on four points each, and Rylie Schaffer and Adyson Neel each drained a three-pointer.
“We spread the wealth around and moved the ball to try and get layups,” Hohertz said. “We were able to get out in transition to start the game and we’re really good when get out in transition. When we had to slow the ball down we worked it around and found layups and that’s what we have to do when we play teams that play zone.”
Brownwood tallied the game’s initial 27 points – including all 19 scored in the first period – before Lake View sank a free throw with 5:53 left before halftime. The Lady Lions tacked on 12 more points and led 39-1 at halftime.
In the second half, Brownwood recorded the first six points before another Lake View free throw at the 4:56 mark of the third. Then, 20:41 into the contest, the Maidens converted their first field goal to trim the Lady Lions’ lead to 47-4.
The Lady Lions carried a 54-4 advantage into the fourth quarter, as again the Brownwood reserves were able to play valuable minutes throughout the contest that should benefit the team in the long run.
“The best way to get better is with playing time,” Hohertz said. “It’s been really nice to be able to get girls in and out of the game to get experience on the court. In practice you don’t really get to see a lot so getting in the game and getting that experience, you’re able to see the things they need to work on and what they need to do to get better when they’re in the game.”
Brownwood plays its final game before the TexasBank Holiday Classic at 6 p.m. Thursday when it visits Bangs (9-7), which is coming off a 52-34 win over Strawn Tuesday night.
