GREENE COUNTY
Greene County got its first win over Lake Oconee Academy since the 2017-18 season last Saturday. The Lady Tigers stunned the Lady Titans, defeating them 45-42 in a low-scoring thriller.
Greene County head coach Steven Hopper knew the girls could pull off the win and was happy after the game.
Hopper said he loved how his girls responded after their star senior guard suffered an injury.
“Late in the third quarter, our girls fell by the wayside when our senior guard, Amauria West, suffered a tweaked ankle. At that point, it didn’t look good,” Hopper said. “We turned the ball over, they (LOA) got a little bit of a lead, but I’ve got to give it to them. They did exactly what they were supposed to do defensively. They just keep grinding and grinding defensively in the end.”
Lake Oconee Academy led 42-39 late, but Greene County’s defense clamped down. During the game’s final minutes, the Lady Tigers limited Lady Titan guards Ansleigh Padgett and Georgia Bosart Once Greene County regained the lead, a few made free throws giving it the three-point margin of victory.
“Georgia (Bosart) is the best guard in the region. We did a great job of staying connected to her,” Hopper added. “She still got around 13, but it wasn’t the 20-plus points she can (potentially) score. The girls also did an amazing job defensively with Ansleigh (Padgett), who is another great player. She’s got the ability to light you up and score 30-plus. We watched a lot of film on them.”
Offensively, Greene got a valiant effort from senior Erin Dixon, who scored a game-high 19 points. The 6-foot-1 power forward was dominant on the glass, leading her team in rebounds as well.
Keiara Jernigan also was productive against Lake Oconee Academy, adding 11 points in the victory. West, who played hurt most of the game, scored eight points and had a few assists in the win.
According to Hopper, West “gutted it out” and acknowledged her toughness was key for the Lady Tigers. He also said that Dixon’s effort in the final minutes made a huge difference against LOA.
“I’ve got to give it to her. She played hurt the entire second half,” Hopper said. “Just gutted it out and still controlled the tempo of the game. Erin (Dixon) also did a great job at the end of the game by making several shots, including the free throws that got us back the lead with less than a minute left.”
After the game, the Lady Tigers celebrated in the locker room after a big win.
“The locker room was very, very spirited. Everybody was very excited,” Hopper said. “It was long overdue. I felt like they could’ve gotten them last year, but LOA found a way to escape. I’ve got to give it to my (players). They just kept playing, playing, and playing until it was all over.”
This week, Greene County has four games. The Lady Tigers started with Aquinas on the road in Augusta on Tuesday, followed by Monroe Area at home on Wednesday. They will travel to Roberta to face Crawford County this Friday before resuming region play with Lincoln County on Saturday.
Hopper hopes this win can be a confidence booster heading into this action-packed week.
“This week is going to be long,” Hopper said. “At the moment, we’re tied for second in the region. If we do what we’re supposed to do, hopefully, we will be 5-1 in the region. That’s the plan.”