After dropping a game earlier in the season to region rival Laney, Josey’s varsity women’s basketball team rebounded to win 69-27 on Friday, Feb. 11, at Norman Bonnet Athletic Complex.
The Eagles lost against the Wildcats early in the season 54-51 but were missing captain Ky’Shonna Brown.
“The way we lost to Laney the last time we done that the last few years, where we’d get a lead, but lose our focus and give it right back to them,” said Josey varsity women’s basketball Coach Juwan Bailey. “This time, we built a lead in first half, and we really locked in to not let that lead slip up. This time we just did a much better job of finishing up.”
Brown returned in this game in a big way, finishing with 15 points in 19 minutes, before heading out with 20 seconds to go in the quarter due to a minor injury. Bailey spoke on Brown after the game.
“She is great,” he said. “She missed the last game against Laney, so she was really eager to get back and play. She wanted to go back in tonight, I told her we got another one tomorrow so save some of that energy and rest them legs.”
The game was tight early in first quarter, but Jacayla Shorty hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Eagles the momentum and the 14-8 lead after one.
Josey would then go on a huge run, outscoring Laney 27-4 in the second quarter. Brown hit a contested 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Eagles a 41-12 lead at the half.
The Eagles to continued to build a lead, outscoring the Wildcats 16-5. Josey went on to defeat Laney 69-27, knocking off the Wildcats undefeated 13-0 record region. Josey is now 12-1 in the region, while Laney is 13-1.
Laney bounced back in the next game with the Varsity boys defeating Josey 64-51. Senior James Nipper led the Wildcats with 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
The next stop for Laney will be the region tournament. The date is to be announced. Josey’s boys’ team will be at home Saturday against Oglethorpe at 4:30 p.m.
It will all come down to Saturday for the Josey girls, as the Eagles will need to defeat Oglethorpe to be number one in the region. Tipoff for them is at 3 p.m.
“I told the girls in the locker room, all this means nothing if you don’t go tomorrow and finish the job against Oglethorpe,” said Bailey.
