After not only losing the last eight matchups against Stephenson but also falling to the Jaguars in the state championship game last season, the Redan Lady Raiders posted an impressive 87-45 victory over Stephenson on Friday night.
Redan was firing on all cylinders as five players put up double-digit point totals. Most impressive was junior Alisha Andrews who scored a total of 16 points for the Raiders. Andrews was remarkable on both sides of the court, going 4-of-6 from the 3-point line and forcing turnovers on defense.
Not only were the Raiders impressive in their perimeter play, but they also posed a threat in the post position. Sophomore Aneesah Daniels had a double-double on the game, posting 16 points and 12 rebounds. If Daniels wasn’t crashing the boards for rebounds, then she was going up strong with the ball, drawing fouls almost every time. Shooting 80 percent from the free throw line, most of Daniels points came from free throws.
“They really stepped up to the plate. Execution-wise, they took great shots, and defensively they made things happen for us,” said Redan head coach Rhonda Malone.
Stephenson looked to junior Hiydaayah Williams to counter the Redan’s offensive attack. Williams contributed 13 points in the game, but was the only Jaguar to put up numbers in double digits.
After trailing by 10 points at the end of the first quarter, Stephenson caught fire in the second and went on a 6-0 scoring streak, stifling the cheers from Redan’s bench. By the end of the half, Stephenson had cut Redan’s lead to seven.
Although the momentum had shifted in favor of the Jaguars, Redan came out in the third quarter with more intensity. Unable to make the shots they needed, Stephenson only put up six points in the third quarter.
In the fourth period, Redan’s aggressive defensive play and ability to run the court exposed a tired Stephenson team. The fourth quarter was plagued by fouls on Stephenson’s part, and hopes of a comeback quickly faded. Redan coasted to victory down the stretch.
“Defensively, we went over some things that Stephenson likes to do. Stopping the penetration was one of our biggest tasks, and that’s what we did tonight,” remarked Malone on her team’s ability to hold Stephenson to only 15 points in the second half.
Redan remains undefeated on the year, and will play next against Luella at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Parker can be reached at jparker@uga.edu.
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