Conference wins put IR girls' hoops second in Henlopen South
A late come-from-behind surge from Lake Forest in the final minutes of their game gave the Lady Indians’ varsity basketball team a bit of a shock last week, but that didn’t stop IR from taking down two more Henlopen South teams in their most recent games, bringing their conference and overall records to 3-1.
Coastal Point • Jesse Pryor
Indian River&'s Abby Miller (00) gets up during Tuesday's trounce over Woodbridge. The Lady Indians came out on top, winning 65-33.
Indian River outscored the Lady Jays of Seaford in the first three quarters of last Friday’s game and were able to maintain the lead, despite Seaford closing the gap to three points in the fourth quarter. IR defeated Seaford 53-43.
This past Tuesday, the Lady Indians hosted Woodbridge for the team’s fourth straight conference match-up but were not shaken as they rolled over the Lady Raiders 65-33 behind some impressive shooting from sophomore co-captain Destiny Blake and from freshman Keosha Shelton.
“It was really important for the team to pick up these conference wins after the Lake Forest game,” said Indian River’s second-year head coach, John Frye. “The girls were able to bounce back really well, which has carried over from last year. They lost some tough games before, but this team is very resilient and, in this sport, you have to be. The girls do a great job of putting the loss behind them and focusing on what we have to do.”
Blake came out firing, knocking in layups and field goals that put the Lady Indians well ahead of their opponents early in the game. By halftime, Indian River had a comfortable 35-20 lead, but they weren’t about to let up. Quick transitions, aggressive rebounds and unselfishness came together in the second half as IR outscored Woodbridge 30-13, holding the Raiders to a mere three points in the final quarter.
Blake was able to connect with Shelton and center Chanel Handy a number of times, as her assists climbed in number throughout the game.
“I know my limit,” said Blake. “If I’m open and I can get a shot, I’ll take it. But, if not, I can just dish it off to someone else, and I know they will make those shots.”
Blake led the evening with 20 points, while Keosha Shelton netted 17 of her own. Senior co-captain Brandi Buchanan pulled down some boards while accumulating 12 points in the win this past Tuesday. Handy picked up eight points, while Keyona Shelton had six.
Playing at Selbyville Middle School the past few years has helped players such as Keosha Shelton, and her twin sister, Keyona, pull together with the rest of the team, despite stepping onto the hardwood as freshmen.
“We’ve been playing with each other for a while,” said Keosha Shelton. “We’re used to playing together and, now, girls like Destiny do a great job as team leaders. They help put everything together.”
Quick turnarounds off of rebounds helped move the game along at a steady place for the Lady Indians, as rebounds were pulled down and swiftly moved to the other side of the court.
“Transition has been a big part of our practices,” said Blake. “We tried to catch [Woodbridge] when they were down and not looking.”
“The whole team did a really good job of keeping the pressure up,” added Shelton.
The Lady Indians know, however, that despite an early 3-1 run in the conference and on the season, next Tuesday’s game against Laurel is going to be anything but a breeze. The game, which will be hosted by the Lady Bulldogs, will see the squaring off of the Henlopen South’s top two teams. Laurel – who, like Indian River, were scheduled to open their season up with five straight conference games – went 3-0 in their first games of the season, nabbing wins over rivals Delmar, Polytech and Lake Forest.
“These wins give us some nice momentum going into the Laurel game,” said Frye, “but it’s not going to be an easy game. [Against Woodbridge], we rebounded the ball well, and we weren’t giving up our second shots, but Laurel’s going to be a tough game. We saw a war with them last year. They’ve got some good players coming back, and they’re a well-coached team. We still have a lot we can accomplish.”
As long as his team brings the same intensity, Frye said he likes their chances on Tuesday’s game at Laurel.
“The girls pushed the ball back on the transition.” said Frye. “Destiny’s passes were outstanding. Teams will double- or triple-team her at times, so she has to look at other players. She can take shots herself, or she can get in the lane and dish it off. The game has really opened up for her and others.”
The Lady Indians will test their skill this coming Tuesday, as they head to Laurel for a fourth straight conference game. The game is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 22.
