River Bluff HS vs Lexington HS

Prep Girls Hoops took in this rivalry game this past Friday night. Lexington HS defeated the Lady Gators 50-46 in a overtime victory. The Wildcats were down early 7-0 before converting on high percentage shots late in the first quarter which allowed them to claw back into the game. [player_tooltip player_id="171766" first="<strong>Alexis" last="Sexton</strong>"] – 2022 – The team’s captain and focal point for much of everything Molly Goodrich’s Wildcats do. The Gators kept her in check for much of the first half, but got it going in the second – particularly in the third quarter when she scored nine of her eventual 23 points. And as much of a scorer as she is, she will also find open teammates, provide effective help on the defensive end. This also despite being in some late foul trouble entering the third quarter with her team clinging to a 32-31 advantage entering the final regulation frame. Sexton was also a perfect 7-7 from the free throw line, including two clutch baskets in overtime. [player_tooltip player_id="176228" first<strong>="Reagan" last="Rozier"</strong>] – 2021 – It was not often when the Wildcats defense had an answer for the Gators’ No. 11. Under the basket – she scores. Midrange – she scores. And on the other end of the floor, she defends. Complimenting her offensive work is her ability to cause problems on defense as a shot blocker and ball hawk. Rozier finished the game with 22 points and proved to be a tough defensive assignment for the Lexington attack. <strong>Vanessa Austin</strong> – 2022 – River Bluff began the game with an early 7-0 run and needed to get its offense going to close that gap. That gap was closed because the Wildcats began converting on shots under the basket and Austin proved to be an early spark plug for the Lexington offense. The Wildcats did not score until around three minutes being left in the first quarter – Austin provided those points. She finished the game with seven points, but stepped up early in what was overall a defensive minded game. [player_tooltip player_id="185222" first=<strong>"Samira" last="Khalil</strong>"] – 2024 – Among the many things any coach – including River Bluff’s Candice Cobb – loves in a freshman is when said freshman plays like anything but. Enter [player_tooltip player_id="185222" first="Samira" last="Khalil"]. The contest was not exactly a 3-point shooting clinic as there were only a combined seven from downtown made from both teams. River Bluff only made four from behind the arc, but Khalil had three of those from 3-point land. Khalil finished her evening with 11 points including the only score for the Gators in the overtime frame. <strong>Amaya Johnson</strong> – 2022 – In tight games like this one was, it is not always about how one starts, but how one finishes. Johnson made the most of the minutes she put up in crunch time. She concluded the game with six points, but those six were between the fourth quarter and overtime and three of those six came via a clutch 3-pointer (the only 3 made by a Wildcat not named Sexton) which was instrumental in the game going to overtime. <strong>Jaden Tucker</strong> – 2023 – For much of what River Bluff accomplished on offense was done because of Tucker’s ability to get up and down the court and find open players. Whether it was in the half-court offense or out in transition, she was very effective in setting up the Gators to have productive possessions on the offensive end.