Greene County girls basketball got a much-needed win last week against Class 3A’s Monroe Area.
The Lady Tigers snapped a long losing streak by defeating the Lady Hurricanes 60-45 on Feb. 1.
With the win, Greene County improved to 4-14 overall. The non-region win was big for the Lady Tigers.
Greene County girls' coach Steven Hopper was relieved to see his team, which had three starters missing, dig deep and defeat Monroe Area.
He said several freshmen stepped up in the 15-point win.
“It felt good because we started two freshmen and a sophomore against them,” Hopper said. “I mean, we started three girls who had not normally played a lot, so it actually felt nice to get that win.”
Younger players such as Ja’Neyce Hall, Akerria Griggs, and Azaria Rhodes performed well. Older girls like Jessaria Porter, Shameria Mitchell, and Dajah Hobes were also productive and helped the Lady Tigers.
It was a tight game in the first half, but Greene County started to pull away in the third quarter.
The Lady Tigers played well defensively in the third, forcing Monroe Area to turn the ball over often.
Greene County also scored points in transition due to the Lady Canes’ turnovers. The Lady Tigers shot well from the field in the second half, with Porter, Mitchell, and Hobes leading the way.
Porter finished with a team-high 22 points, followed by Mitchell and Hobes, who scored double digits.
“The older girls played well, and the younger girls provided a spark defensively,” Hopper said. “It was nice.”
Greene County wrapped up the season against Warren County and Lincoln County this week. Despite their record, the Lady Tigers head into the region tournament hoping to make some noise.
Hopper believes his team has been competitive in a tough region but wants to see more consistency. He wants his girls to do the little things right, and if they do, they could earn a spot in the state playoffs.
Hopper said it comes down to defense, which the team has struggled with recently.
“It’s going to depend on how we defend people,” he said. “When we want to defend, we do it extremely well. Most of the teams in our region, their best players, haven’t had their best games against us.”