Three Takeaways: George Washington at Rangeview

The Rangeview Raiders (14-5, 7-1) held on to defeat the George Washington Patriots (15-5, 6-1) by a final score of 71-63 on Thursday night, but the win didn't come easy for the Raiders. In a back and forth battle, the Raiders pulled away late and secured their 14th win of the season by way of free throws as the Patriots ran out of gas. Here are three takeaways from Thursday night's action at Rangeview. <span style="color: #000000"><strong>Who needs a sparkplug when you have Genesis Sweetwine?</strong></span> [caption id="attachment_145185" align="alignright" width="300"] Rangeview sophomore Genesis Sweetwine (13) drives past <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/iyahnni-qualls/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/iyahnni-qualls/">Iyahnni Qualls</a></a> (3) of George Washington[/caption] On a team deep with youth, it is hard to stand out as a pillar to lean on. However, Sweetwine, a sophomore guard has done just that for this Raiders' team. Leading her squad with a team-high 19-points, Sweetwine produced when the Raiders needed it most. Just when George Washington began to close the gap, Sweetwine took over. The first quarter came to a close with five straight points by Sweetwine to swing the momentum in favor of Rangeview. In the fourth, with the game on the line, Sweetwine tallied ten of her points, going 3-for-6 from the free-throw line and connecting on a three-pointer and four more points from the field. <span style="color: #000000"><strong>Are those "piranhas"?!</strong></span> George Washington is not afraid to go toe-to-toe with any opponent. Thursday night's game was no different as the Patriots ran full-court man-to-man all night long. [caption id="attachment_145184" align="alignleft" width="300"] George Washington freshman EmmaJo Locks surveys the floor[/caption] &nbsp; "Those girls are piranhas," Patriots head coach Keithan Lyons said prior to the game. Lyons praised his freshmen guards <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/jaida-redwine/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/jaida-redwine/">Jaida Redwine</a></a> and EmmaJo Locks for their tenacity, grittiness, and nose for the ball. On nearly every Rangeview possession, Redwine and Locks could be found in the mix of things with blocked shots, fighting for rebounds or air-tight defense. <span style="color: #000000"><strong>Next level talent on full display</strong></span> In what some might consider a low-profile game, Thursday night's game was ripe with talent capable of playing at the next level. Talented players that, deservingly, should not be overlooked just because of the team and league they compete for. Without question, junior forward <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/maya-whiteside/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/maya-whiteside/">Maya Whiteside</a></a> of George Washington is going to play Division-I basketball. The question remains, where? Whiteside is still uncommitted, but she has all the tangible and intangible traits a coach is looking for. With a scoring output of 20-points Thursday night, she led the game in scoring and was a major factor in why the Patriots only lost by eight points. [caption id="attachment_145186" align="alignleft" width="300"] Sophomore guard <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/anisa-turner/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/anisa-turner/">Anisa Turner</a></a> (0) attempts to split the defense as she drives the lane[/caption] It gets murky with the next set of players on where they might land. Collegiate basketball is certainly in their future but the line between Division-I and Division-II basketball is blurred. George Washington guards <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/anisa-turner/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/anisa-turner/">Anisa Turner</a></a> and Redwine are sure-fire candidates to play next level basketball. Turner comes in as a 5-foot-7 guard who plays close to 6-foot. She is not afraid to get rough in the paint, score the tough points, and gather hard rebounds on both ends of the court. Redwine is a prototypical guard standing at 5-foot-8, she has unmatched energy and as a freshman her ceiling is high. Rangeview boasts two guards capable of Division-I looks but will have more opportunities to play Division-II. Junior guard Bri Linnear and sophomore Sweetwine have the pieces to be successful at the right program. [caption id="attachment_145188" align="alignright" width="231"] Bri Linnear fights off two George Washington defenders as she looks to make a pass[/caption] Linnear is the heart and soul of the Raiders - her toughness was on display Thursday night after going down with a lower-leg injury, she fought through it and ended up tied for second in scoring with 14-points. Sweetwine is the type of player coaches dream about. She provides the spark when you need it, she has a high basketball IQ and makes up for her hight in quickness. &nbsp;