By T. Scott Boatright
For Lincoln Prep girls basketball coach LaKeia Williams-Brown, the little things are still wins for her team at this point of the season.
So yes, Williams-Brown’s Lady Panthers fell at home Thursday night to Jonesboro-Hodge 51-20 inside the LPS Gym.
And yes, the majority of her team, other than point guard Kayla Ferguson, remains significantly inexperienced and still learning the basics of the game.
But they are making progress, and Williams-Brown counts that as a win at this point.
“It’s a challenge,” Williams-Brown said. “A lot of challenges. But we’re weathering the storm. But it’s been a hard road for them. I’ve had a lot of them who have gotten sick for a while and missed significant time.
“I haven’t had my full team all out on the court together yet this season. Somebody’s always out. But I’m proud of my kids, because they keep battling and playing hard, and they keep getting better. That’s all I can ask at this point.”
Ferguson hit Lincoln Prep’s lone first-quarter basket and had scored nine of her team’s 11 points by halftime as the Lady Tigers built a 33-11 advantage by intermission.
With a running clock beginning in the third quarter, the second half was a quick affair with Jonesboro Hodge leading 48-17 heading into the final stanza.
Ferguson’s 3-pointer at the 3:45 mark of the third quarter capped off her scoring on the night as she cut the Lady Tigers’ lead to 46-15 at that point.
Out of necessity, Ferguson takes the vast majority of Lincoln Prep’s shot attempts, but Williams-Brown said her Lady Panthers don’t really have any other choice with where her team stands right now.
“She has to take over because of her experience,” Williams-Brown said. “She has to be a leader. So she’s just doing what she’s supposed to do out there.”
So, it was good that Williams-Brown saw Lady Panther forward Hannah Labron grab an offensive rebound and launch the ball upward from down under the goal for Lincoln Prep’s final basket of the third quarter.
Just as it was good for Williams-Brown to see Lady Panther Za’Kya Wimberly fire a 3-point shot through the nets for Lincoln Prep’s only basket of the final stanza.
“That was just them growing up a little more,” Williams Brown said. “From where we were when the season started to where we are now, I can say that we have truly progressed. We have progressed as a team and we have progressed in learning and knowing and playing with each other.
“They’re confidence level has gone up tremendously since the season started and it shows out on the court. They still have a long, long way to go, but there’s no doubt they’re making progress and getting better.”
Erynn Chatman added a basket for Lincoln Prep in the second quarter to account for the Lady Panthers’ other points.
Next up scheduled for the Lady Panthers, now 2-14 overall and 0-2 in District 1-1A, will be a 6 p.m. home game on Tuesday against Haynesville, weather permitting.
