Two of the top Lady teams in Richmond, VA met last night at Hermitage High School (Henrico, VA) to face off in one final showdown of the 5B Regional Tournament. I saw both the L.C. Bird Skyhawks (Chesterfield, VA) and Highland Springs Springers (Highland Springs, VA) more recently during my coverage of the annual ‘Athletes for Awareness' showcase last month. Having a good feel for how the two programs compare and compete, I nevertheless expected Friday night's title game to stay close until the final buzzer sounded. My prediction resulted pretty accurate, as Highland Springs stayed the course to earn a 35-32 win; holding the trophy high mid-court. Both teams have earned bids into the state tournament, starting up next week!
Final Score
Highland Springs – 35
L.C. Bird – 32
A Few Game/Team Notes
- Just to put this out there, I actually missed the first quarter of the game due to being under the impression that tip-off took place at 6 p.m., not 5:30 p.m. It left me fairly confused, but L.C. Bird nonetheless led 8-6 after the first eight minutes.
- The hustle on defense from both teams served as one of the biggest reasons in keeping it a low-scoring game. This effort also resulted in many back-and-forth turnovers, especially early on. I honestly feel the players may have had some nerves; evident by trying to rush decision-making and missing quite a few open opportunities under the basket. In all, the contest had many sloppy stretches but kept spectators on the edge of their seats pondering which team would through in the clutch.
- Last night involved my third time watching Highland Springs this season. I've always noted length as a key advantage of the Springers roster makeup; something that proved key once again in securing a victory. With solid height and wingspans on the roster, the Springers did excellent in going after paint points throughout the final two quarters to come back after being down ten points at the half. As the game continued on into the final remaining minutes, Highland Springs started drawing more fouls and took the lead by scoring off of made free-throws. I greatly respect the focus shown by their players in those pivotal moments.
- I've seen L.C. Bird play twice now. The team plays with a hard-nosed style and does well in penetrating down the lane for kick-outs to the perimeter. The Skyhawks had a lead for the majority of the game but struggled the most in matching up with Highland Springs' size advantage, which led to most of their late-game fouling. Still, their chemistry and composure never seemed to take a bump in the road; two attributes that will continue to have importance as they head into the state tournament.
- Keep in mind, Highland Springs is only losing one senior after this season, standout wing, Jalen Gathers '19. Out of the fifteen young ladies on the roster, ten are sophomores. That's pretty scary to consider. Honestly, you won't find me too surprised if they win the region again next February.
Friday Night Standouts
Sydney Boone '21 – Highland Springs: The sophomore guard had the most clutch moments for her Springers late in the fourth. She hit a deep three-pointer to cut L.C. Bird's lead down to one point, with under two minutes on the clock. In the last couple of seconds, she got fouled and made both of her attempts at the line to put the Springers up by three; L.C. Bird only had five seconds to make a play and could not capitalize. This type of play in big moments serves as a testament to Boone's confidence at such a young age. She never appears unsure or hesitant when facing some type of adversity/challenge. On top of it all, she's just getting started in establishing her reputation as a special talent in the area.
Jaden Watkins '19 – L.C. Bird: NOBODY could stop Watkins from getting a piece of the paint during the night. When I mentioned how the Skyhawks did well in penetrating gaps to find shooters on the perimeter, this all started with their veteran combo guard. She's more of a scorer at heart, but does an excellent job of attracting defenses in her attacking style of play so it leaves her teammates open for easy looks. Any spot-up shooter would definitely love to play with Watkins; she makes the job much easier. Her explosive first step makes lane drives look like a walk in the park for the senior. However, she has a tendency to sometimes force the issue at the rim and off-balance. Finishing off of two feet/shot fakes could make things a bit easier for her.
Iyanna Rogers '21 – Highland Springs: The 6'2' forward arguably had the biggest impact on the glass for Highland Springs. As I touched upon earlier, the team can often find themselves with an advantage in regards to their length. It's always satisfying to have a player like Rogers who recognizes the intimidation she can create with her physical tools and puts it to full use. She stands out on both ends of the floor, whether she's sealing and scoring in the post or swatting away a shot on the other. Rogers is still a bit raw, but already does so much for the team as an underclassman. One can only imagine how she'll end up developing during the next two seasons.
Alexis Miller '21 – L.C. Bird: Miller appears as the Skyhawks' top shooting threat and did well in relocating all around the floor to spot up for perimeter touches. She doesn't hesitate to shoot it if she sees the opportunity; a mentality that also includes a fairly quick release. Her shooting looked a bit streaky at times during the night, but she definitely made some jumpers in key moments that allowed her team to maintain their lead for most of the day. If she starts to show more of an ability to put the ball on the floor and make plays, she'll take that next step in her scoring package.
Jalen Gathers '19 – Highland Springs: On a team full of young talent, Gathers undoubtedly plays the most important role as the lone senior presence. She simply knows how to consistently make ‘winning plays' sets her teammates up for success. In addition, I'd classify her as the Springers' best all-around player. She can do a bit of everything with her three-level shooting, ability to cause turnovers, rebounding, hustle, court vision, etc. Along with Boone, she also made some clutch plays for Highland Springs, including a free throw to put them up by 1 with under fifteen seconds left to play. Just recently, on Thursday (2/21), the senior wing committed to play for Mary Baldwin University (Staunton, VA) next season; a place where I can see her arriving and making an impact right from the start.
Be sure to also check out my recap on the VHSL 5B Regional Boys Championship from Friday night as well!; L.C. Bird HS vs. Varina HS (2/22/19).