Stories

Spread the Floor: Louisa County girls hold off Western in JD championship

Louisa County girls basketball has figured out ways to win a lot of different kinds of contests this year. 

 

Monday night required a blueprint for how to win a low scoring defensive struggle. 

 

It turns out the spread the floor and let Sylvie Jackson cook approach is a pretty good one. Jackson scored 17 of her 23 points after the break and led the Lions to a 40-30 victory over Western Albemarle in the Jefferson District championship game. 

 

“At halftime we talked about just spreading them out and going more of a five-out set and let her get in the lane which it did open up for us in the second half,” said Louisa coach Nick Schreck.

 

The Lions’ five out spacing allowed Jackson to attack relentlessly and finish or dish it. She scored seven baskets in the second half and dished out three assists for the game, giving her a hand in all but four buckets for Louisa. 

 

“We’ve been able to hang our hats on defense all year long because of our length, our movement and our zone but (Western) was able to do that to us tonight,” Schreck said. “They were able to pack the paint and not let us get out in transition which is what we do best.”

 

Louisa was up 14-9 at the end of the first quarter with Western’s Emma Schmitz – who scored 15 points – and Jackson dueling it out early on. But the game bogged down in the second quarter with the Warriors managing just four points, all from the free throw line, and Louisa scoring just five on a Savoi Smith three and a Janie Smith bucket. 

 

That prompted the second half adjustments for the Lions and that’s when Jackson got going, scoring all but four of Louisa’s second half points. 

 

Janie Smith finished with nine points for Louisa and Ella Jackson and Savoi Smith chipped in one 3-pointer each. It was impressive to watch the Lions finish off an unbeaten campaign in the district eventhough it was far from easy.

 

“Not just the new pieces, but having to overcome the injuries we have,” Schreck said. “We’d had three players get hurt but it goes back to Janie and Sylvie setting the expectations and setting the bar and the other girls being ready and stepping in.”

 

Both squads now turn their attention to the Region 4D playoffs. The Lions hold the region’s top seed and will square off with Halifax at home Friday night at 6:30 p.m. Western will face off with Salem at 6 p.m. as part of a doubleheader with the boys squad. 

 

Comments

comments