The Lake Oconee Academy girls basketball team hasn’t had it easy lately, but got an important win on Saturday, Jan. 17, over crosstown rival Greene County to snap a five-game losing streak.
The Lady Titans secured a 59-52 overtime victory over the Lady Tigers.
At the end of regulation, both teams were tied at 49-49 after a Greene County player nailed a three-pointer at the buzzer. However, LOA outlasted the Lady Tigers in overtime to secure the win.
LOA head coach Josh Seymour is in his first year leading the program and believes the team has made significant improvements since its season began. He said that the Lady Titans are “peaking at the right moment” at “the heart of region play.”
“[The game] was a nailbiter for sure; I don’t think we should have really been in that position at the end, but they had a great fourth quarter and came back and played well,” Seymour said. “I’m super proud of our girls and the way they just overcame adversity, finished strong, and hit their free throws down the stretch.”
The Lady Titans entered halftime with a 33-17 lead, but Greene County quickly began catching up after LOA senior shooting guard Ansleigh Padgett fouled out of the game during the second half.
Padgett is the team’s leading scorer and scored her 1,000th career point the week prior.
Seymour highlighted that Padgett often “steers the ship” for the Lady Titans during games and noted that she supported her teammates from the bench after she fouled out.
“She’s probably the most basketball-smart person I know, and it’s pretty rare for her to foul out, but it happens,” Seymour said. “I’m proud of the way they navigated the game without her.”
Seymour acknowledged that his players began to feel a little tired after the first half. He therefore used the halftime break to speak to them about staying consistent.
“I really just told them how a lot of teams with leads going into halftime just play not to lose, and I don’t really like that; I want us to play to win,” Seymour said. “So really, just not taking their foot off the gas and trying to finish strong, so we can get some other girls playing time. Greene County made a heck of a comeback in the second half, and I’m just glad that we got the win.”
LOA had three players in double figures – Padgett (16 points), Trinity Evans (12), and Kaitlyn Mamay (11).
Seymour believes the team has matured significantly and sees the recent victory as a good example of its adjustments throughout the season. He said the current roster has more room for growth, but that many girls have stepped up as the season progressed.
“For the most part, there’s a lot of sophomores and juniors that are really doing great things, and we are a young team, and they definitely have areas that they can grow in,” Seymour said. “A lot of our athletes play multiple sports, so basketball may be their second or third sport, but their overall basketball IQ has really increased, along with their trust in one another.”
With the Lady Titans’ first region win under their belts, Seymour hopes the victory will motivate the team to keep the momentum going.
“They’re just kind of realizing it every day that they are better than they think they are, and their confidence is growing every day,” Seymour said. “We’re growing leaps and bounds every day, and every practice. These girls are really dependent on one another to get the job done.”