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Hernando Today

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By JIM REDMILE

Hernando Today correspondent

Published: February 7, 2008

OCALA – After beating Lecanto-Seven Rivers Christian twice during the regular season, the Lady Lions needed that third series victory this winter to mark their names in the Hernando Christian Academy history books as the first girls' basketball team to ever make the district final, giving them an automatic bid to the regional tournament. They accomplished that feat Friday night in Marion County, trouncing Seven Rivers, 55-19.
"Four years ago this was our goal," beamed HCA Head Coach Jim Bragg. "When we first got here, we built a little foundation and by this year were supposed to be going to the playoffs and here we are; they've come a long way.
"This is the first time in school history that we've gone this far. The worst we can do is second in districts."
To press or not to press
The Lions fast-pace style is complimented by a full-court press that has helped get them where they are. But Friday night, Coach Bragg took a different approach. "We weren't going to press in the first half. I didn't want to show it too much to St. John because were trying to twist it up a little bit since I got different people playing on the floor."
Missing from his normal lineup is Cassandra Byrne, who is out with a concussion and Danielle Kuka, who has missed the district tournament twice in two years, last year because of a torn ACL and this year from a torn meniscus.
Pressing the ball at half court, HCA forced the Warriors into 13 turnovers in the first half including nine steals, but committed 17 turnovers of its own while still managing a 23-10 lead.
"We had a lot of turnovers, but we haven't played a game since last Friday," said Bragg. "And I don't think we ran enough during the week, we didn't do enough scrimmaging. We just shot, and I think tonight we got a little tired."
Senior Meredith Hanshaw led the Lions in the first quarter with four baskets including a three-pointer and fellow senior Kimberly Armstrong had two. Sophomore Audrey Allen had five points with a field goal and went 3-for-6 from the line. Junior Heidi Riley was 1-for-2 in free throws. Sophomore Madison Manuel and freshman Brittany Flowers had two points each.
Bragg was positive and optimistic during halftime. "We have to get used to playing up here, the calls are a little different up here.
"I just told them to calm down and play ball and quit worrying about the calls. We're a better second half team than we are a first half team. I said we're still going to win the game, they just have to keep hustling."
Put 'em away
HCA was business as usual in the second half, coming out in the full-court press.
"I wanted some quick buckets. We were too close so I didn't want to take a chance," said Bragg. "I wanted to spread the floor and score a little bit more."
Turning up the heat, the Lions held Seven Rivers to just three points in the third quarter while Riley, Flowers, Allen, Hanshaw and senior Mary Ellen Langley got into the action, going off for eight points in the second half. The Warriors committed 11 turnovers due to the press and HCA tallied five steals.

HCA 55, Seven Rivers Christian 19
Qtr. Scoring 1 2 3 4
SVR 6 4 3 6 — 19
HCA 14 9 21 11 — 55
SVR (19): Allen 1 3-6 5, Iwaniee 1 0-3 3, Labahn 3 0-0 6, Martin 1 0-2 2, Kauffman 1 0-1 3, Satterly 0, Bala 0, Greete 0, Bennette 0. Totals 7 3-12 19.
HCA (55): Manuel 2 1-1 5, Riley 1 1-2 3, Armstrong 2 0-0 4, Flowers 5 1-2 11, Allen 2 4-8 8, Langley 4 0-0 8, Hanshaw 7 0-0 16. Totals 23 7-13 55.
3-point field goals: 7 Rivers: Iwaniee 1, Kauffman 1; HCA Hanshaw, Meredith 2.
Total fouls: SVR 12; HCA 18.
Fouled out: HCA: Hanshaw, Madeline, Riley.
Technicals: none
Records: Lecanto-Seven Rivers Christian (11-11), Hernando Christian Academy (15-6).

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