Faith Academy girls squad gets win against physical Holland
Faith Academy of Marble Falls senior guard Sierra Brinkley (right) checks a defender before deciding to drive to the basket during the Lady Flames' 53-35 win against Holland on Feb. 7. Courtesy photo
JENNIFER FIERRO • PICAYUNE STAFF
MARBLE FALLS — The Faith Academy girls basketball got a 53-35 win against Holland on Feb. 7.
The Lady Flames (25-4 overall) faced an opponent that challenged them physically throughout the contest, head coach Jerry English said. And the players had to play well on both ends of the floor to get a win, especially when it came to offense.
The Hornets led 7-0 midway through the first quarter and didn’t allow Faith to easily get fast-break baskets. So the Lady Flames settled into half-court sets. Sophomore post Hannah Cozby scored five consecutive baskets from the low block with defenders pushing her out of position. At times, she had to adjust in the air to square her shoulders to the basket. At other times, she sealed off the defender and took a power dribble to the basket.
“This is the best game Hannah has ever played,” English said. “It was against a solid team. We wondered if she could step up if it gets tough.”
By the time Cozby was finished, the Lady Flames led 13-10 and never trailed again.
Defensively, Faith played its best quarter against Holland in the third. The Lady Flames allowed Holland only three free throws. The biggest benefit to the game, other than playing a physical team that resembles what the Lady Flames will face in the playoffs, is players saw what happens when they take bad angles to pass, drive to the basket or shoot, English said.
So he believes his players will use this matchup to help them get ready for the postseason.
“I thought it was very, very physical,” English said. “We got as much as I’d hoped. I thought we had stretches where we played well.”
The Lady Flames will finish the regular season against Cedar Park in a game that was moved to Feb. 14 at 6:15 p.m. at The Fire Pit, three miles east of Marble Falls off RR 1431.
Because they’ve already won the District 4-2A championship of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools, the Lady Flames received a first-round bye in the playoffs. They will play the area game Feb. 17 or 18 against the winner of Rockwall Heritage and Abilene Christian at The Fire Pit.
jfierro@thepicayune.com
TOP PLAYERS: Taylor Denton 17 points, 5 steals, 3 assists, 1 rebound; Hannah Cozby 14 points, 8 blocks, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals; Juliette Fisher 12 points, 7 rebounds, 6 steals, 2 assists, 1 block
ON OFFENSE: points – Joanna Piatek 8, Sierra Brinkley 2; assists – Piatek 3, Kristen Cherry 3, Brinkley 1, Alisha Williams 1; rebounds – Piatek 3, Cherry 1.
ON DEFENSE: steals – Piatek 4, Cherry 4, Brinkley 2; rebounds – Piatek 3, Cherry 3, Brinkley 1, Williams 1
RECORDS: Faith is 25-4 overall.
UP NEXT: 6:15 p.m. Feb. 14, Faith vs. Cedar Park Summit at The Fire Pit, three miles east of Marble Falls off RR 1431