Injuries & inconsistency seen by GDW from Good Hope Gym:
GDW Analysis:
GOOD HOPE: Injuries is an item basketball teams hope to stay away from.
Unfortunately it does happen and five girls' teams locally are undergoing it at the present time.
Gameday Weekly witnessed it on Wednesday while on assignment with a playday series from Good Hope Gymnasium.
The team that got hit the worst with the injury bug is Hanceville. The Lady Bulldogs went into their doubleheader vs. Cordova and West Morgan without forward Aaliyah Twitty.
Her younger sister Alex was banged up against West Morgan, spent time on the bench before coming back but not able to be in rhythm with Hanceville losing to West Morgan 46 to 16.
West Point was coming in with momentum fresh off a 3 & 0 record Tuesday at Supreme Courts in Guntersville. The Lady Warriors ran over Cordova in the early afternoon from the Good Hope Middle School Gym, prior to facing East Lawrence in the main gym in the
later part of the day.
Caitlee Simmons got hit in the face in the first half and wound up with a bloody nose. She did not return to the lineup with West Point going down in defeat to East Lawrence 39 to 38.
Good Hope is without the services presently in shooting guard Ava McSwain and forward Jolee McHan. McSwain turned her ankle last week with her return to the team undeternined at the present time.
McHan is recovering from ACL surgery in the spring and will not take part in summer playdays.
Good Hope is adjusting of not having the pair as the Lady Raiders romped over Dora 59 to 31 to start the schedule Wednesday morning.
Then came a tight one with Arab as a controversial call in the closing seconds took the ball out of the Lady Raiders' hands and Arab won 47 to 46.
Vinemont was the only local team to do well in playing both games at the Middle School Gym. The Lady Eagles defeated Danville and West Morgan, taking advantage of West Morgan missing 14 of 15 from the foul line in information GDW was able to gain through speaking with the West Morgan coach.
GDW had seven games from GH Gymnasium as four were decided in the closing seconds.
Arab hit FTs with 0:10 remaining and was given the ball back after one of the officials whistled the Lady Raiders for traveling in their chance to possibly win the game.
Danville followed with a short range jumper before time ran out to squeeze out a 37 to 35 entertaining victory over Dora.
Arab struggled in the first half with East Lawrence, managing only 10 points and trailing by five at the break. The Lady Knights rebounded with a 26 point surge in the 2nd half and came from behind by the score of 36 to 34.
West Point was its worst enemy in the loss to East Lawrence. The Lady Warriors went through a time of sloppy ball handling and inconsistent from the offensive side.
However, West Point went on a 13 to 2 run and led 38 to 36 in the final seconds thanks to a go ahead jumper by Camryn Faulkner.
Unfortunately, Faulkner was whistled for a foul on a 3 point shooter with 3.5 seconds showing. East Lawrence hit the free throws and West Point's undefeated streak for the week was over at four games.
The foursome combined for 5 wins in 8 decisions as Good Hope and West Point experienced one point setbacks.
Arab would be 2 & 0 in its close victories vs, Good Hope and East Lawrence. The Lady Knights and Vinemont were the unbeatens on the day. Dora and Cordova would come from Walker County and go home winless in two decisions each.
Coming up:
Vinemont - Lady Eagles vs. Ardmore at 9:00 a.m. and Phillips at11:20 a.m. Thursday from the Cullman playday.
Good Hope - Lady Raiders with 3 games Friday in the AHSAA scholastic camp at the Finley Center in Hoover. Good Hope meets AHSAA newcomer Glenwood School at 10:30, Southside Gadsden 12:00 and St. James at 3:00 p.m.
West Point - Lady Warriors host a playday Friday from Jim Boyd Gymnasium with games vs. Hatton at 10:20 a.m. and Oakwood at 11:25 a.m.
Vinemont is playing in this event too. The Lady Eagles meet Oakwood at 9:30 a.m. and Hatton at 12:15 p.m.
Photo of the Hanceville Lady Bulldogs in their game vs. Cordova Wednesday at Good Hope Gymnasium.
GDW photo by Johnny Thornton.
