By T. Scott Boatright
SIMSBORO — Experience counts, and it was there when the Choudrant Lady Aggies needed it as they opened the season in a special contest against Simsboro.
Simsboro played its first game in its completed new gym Tuesday night to open the season for both teams, and the atmosphere was just like Lincoln Parish hoops fans would expect from the two rivals — electric and playoff-like — as Choudrant held on for a 42-38 win.
The Lady Tigers’ 5-0 lead to open the contest was the largest for either team on the night and it was experience and free-throw shooting for the Lady Aggies.
Choudrant senior Reese Brown led the way with 19 points, including a 9-of-10 performance at the charity stripe.
Three of those free throws came in the final 1:06 of the game, including a pair Brown sailed through the net with 0.6 seconds remaining to put the game away for the Lady Aggies.
“Reese played just flat out phenomenal basketball,” Simsboro head coach Adam Wodach said. “We sent bodies after bodies after her and she’s hitting her free throws — she made four huge free throws down the stretch — and to their credit, they’re a little older than us. The average age on our girls (team) is 13 1/2, and sometimes experience is the best teacher.
“So, Reese is a two-time MVP, and I’m going to give her a lot of credit.”
Fellow senior Sadie Jones also played a key for the Lady Aggies, adding 10 points to the winning effort.
After falling behind 5-0 to start the game, the Lady Aggies battled back with eight unanswered points with Brown accounting for six on a layup, turnaround jumper and a pair of free throws.
“That was an awesome game and I’m so happy Reese was playing for us,” Choudrant head coach Brandy Roberson said. “I’m very proud of her for stepping up there and hitting those big shots at the end. And throughout the game.
“She played like the senior we need her to be.”
While happy with the win, Roberson admitted it was only the season opener and that experienced or not, her Lady Aggies still have a lot of growing to do.”
“We did not play well but we still won,” Roberson said. “The energy and the atmosphere were very intense.”
Turnovers were a factor Roberson found to be especially troubling.
“We’ve got to learn to settle down and handle the ball,” Roberson said. “We didn’t do very well with pressure tonight. We just need to take tonight and build on it.
“It was a good start. But we’re only getting started and still have a long way to go.”
Simsboro was led by Lazorreya Davis with 11 points while Tamia Green added nine and seventh-grader Madi Mitchell chipped in with eight.
“Watch out for her,” Wodach said about Mitchell. “You better get us early. You better get us now because she’s going to be special. This whole team, honestly, is going to be special. I don’t think they realize how talented they are as a whole.They’ve just got to learn from experience.”
