Lady Flames’ return to court results in win

AUSTIN — The Faith Academy girls basketball team picked up right where it left off – with another win.

The Lady Flames beat Austin Regents, 65-48, Monday and never lost a period. Faith is now 9-3 overall and have won two in a row.

Head coach Jerry English said, however, his concerns about his team going into the contest were realized.

“Last night was pretty much a typical after-the-holidays game,” he said. “We were very slow to react and our conditioning was not very good.” 

The Lady Flames had not played or practiced since their victory against Fredericksburg Heritage Nov. 24.

English said he asked his players to run on their own while taking off the Thanksgiving holiday week.

“I felt like we were pretty slow-footed and just did not move around,” he said. 

Faith led, 30-24, at the half. At that point, the coach believed the squad that played with more enthusiasm was going to come away victorious.

The result was a 10-8 quarter with Faith in the lead, 40-32, heading into the final eight minutes.

“They hung around,” English said. 

Regents also had an athlete, who plays on an Amateur Athletic Union team, who scored 18 points. 

Another hit four three-pointers.

“Sometimes we got lackadaisical to rotating on the matchup zone,” English said.

Because of that, a Regents’ player hit two threes in a row.

“They got back to where they thought they had a chance,” he said. 

But the Lady Flames found the energy their coach wanted and scored 25 points in the final period to Regents’ 16.

“I thought we really did a good job closing it out,” he said. 

He also credited sisters Kendra and Brooke Field for hitting 11 of 12 free throws in the last period to seal the win. Regents began to foul with about four minutes remaining.

“Thank goodness they were fouling who we thought could make the points,” English said. 

Kendra Field dropped in 37 points and hit four of five three-pointers. 

“I think that’s probably the best she’s ever done,” he said. “They had gone to two people guarding her.”

Brooke Field scored eight, while Deanna Hoover and Shiloh Reaves each added five. Taylor Vaughn and Katie Jung dropped in three, while Laura Lykken and Breigh Gray added two each. 

Brooke Field grabbed eight rebounds, while Hoover recorded seven, Kendra Field pulled down six, and Vaughn had three.

He was especially proud of the freshman post. 

“In fairness to Brooke, that had not been a good game for her,” English said. “She got car sick on the way over. It was the first time I’ve ever seen her like that.”

The freshman post chose to play and told her coach she could go.

“She just did not have energy,” he said. “When we really did need her, she felt good enough to finish.”

He was pleased with Brooke Field’s decision-making – knowing when to take the shot or when to pass the ball to a teammate.

Coaches substituted freely once the game was secure.

“Coaches say this,” English said. “You have to win ugly sometimes. We never really got into a rhythm. It doesn’t surprise me.”

The first two skills to go are passing and receiving, he said.

But he was pleased his squad fought through that, especially since the game became more physical as it progressed.

“We handled that part pretty well,” the coach said. “They were very well coached. I was impressed with the adjustments they made. We had them down 14 points. They could have easily quit.”

Courtesy photo