Opening-season loss fuels Lady Flames in first win
Faith Academy sophomore guard Jayla Reeves scores a 3-pointer during the Lady Flames win against Austin Hill Country 83-14 on Nov. 12. Courtesy photo
JENNIFER FIERRO • PICAYUNE STAFF
MARBLE FALLS — The Faith Academy girls basketball team’s 83-14 win against Austin Hill Country on Nov. 11 started much earlier than tip-off.It started Nov. 5, the afternoon after the Lady Flames (1-1) lost to Austin Regents 55-38.
Head coach Jerry English said he realized he needed to install a few more plays in the scheme to help utilize his players’ strengths.
So they added a 2-3 zone with greater aggression from the top, got sharper on Faith’s quick break, and recommitted to keeping the posts involved in half-courts sets.
“We realized we were not utilizing the personnel,” English said. “We have (freshman post Sedona) Prince in the middle. All of a sudden we made it difficult to go to the rim. We didn’t fast break at all. A lot of the rebounding positions were in the wrong spot.”
By Nov. 7, English said his players thrived in the changes. And they showed the results of their practice time during the victory against Hill Country.
“We broke the ball about as good as we’ve ever broken it,” he said.
Against Hill Country, Faith led 20-0 until the final minute of the first quarter. By the end, the Lady Flames took a 24-2 lead that went to 53-6 at the half.
He commended sophomore guard Jayla Reeves and senior guard Sierra Brinkley for their quick defensive hands at the top of the key.
Once the Lady Flames were ahead by 40 points, the mercy rule set in. By policy of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools, the only time the running clock stops is for timeouts.
Now Faith turns its attention to the Bulverde Bracken tournament. The Lady Flames have played for the championship in each of the last five years, winning the tournament twice.
jfierro@thepicayune.com
ON OFFENSE: Points – Jayla Reeves 6, Sierra Brinkley 16, Allison Metzger 2, Sarah Williams 8, Sedona Prince 16, Alisha Williams 14, Hannah Marks 4, Hannah Cozby 17; assists – Reeves 4, Brinkley 3, S. Williams 4, Susanna Case 1, Prince 3, A. Williams 1, Marks 1; rebounds – Reeves 1, S. Williams 4, Case 1, Prince 6, A. Williams 3, Marks 1, Cozby 7.
ON DEFENSE: Steals – Reeves 10, Brinkley 5, Metzger 1, S. Williams 4, Case 1, Prince 4, A. Williams 2, Marks 4, Cozby 4; rebounds – Reeves 1, Brinkley 2, Prince 4, A. Williams 3, Marks 2; blocks – Metzger 2, Prince 2, Cozby 1
RECORDS: Faith is 1-1
UP NEXT: 3:30 p.m. Nov. 13, Faith vs. San Antonio Christian at the Bulverde Bracken Tournament, 670 Old Boerne Road in Bulverde