By Lavon Brown
Contributing Writer
 

Before the Roosevelt Rough Riders took the floor against the Smithson Valley Lady Rangers, Roosevelt head coach Rob Rheinberger chalked up two important issues that had the potential to cause his team to start 0-2 in district: missed free throws and excessive turnovers.

At one point it looked as if both would do the Lady Rough Riders in, but in the end it was the Riders who flipped the script on Smithson Valley, holding on for a 45-40 victory Friday night at Roosevelt High School.

The Lady Riders (13-7, 1-1 in District 26-5A) were plagued by turnovers in the first half and were a poor 10-of-23 from the free throw line. But Felicia Jacobs hit two important free throws late in the fourth period to extend the Roosevelt lead to 44-40 with 46 seconds left in the game.

Jacobs led the Rough Riders with 18 points and often made big plays when Smithson Valley got rolling -- just as Rheinberger expected from her.

“We like to get the ball to Felicia because she is our leader and playmaker,’ Rheinberger said. “Everything goes through her.”

Trailing 30-24 late in the third period, Jacobs sparked x  the Riders as she found the basket to trim the Rangers lead to 30-26. She stole the ball and made a lay-up as the third quarter ended, trimming the Smithson Valley lead to two, 30-28.

Jacobs then hit consecutive shots to open the final stanza, giving the Riders a 32-30 lead along with some momentum as Roosevelt seemed to have the Rangers stymied as they searched for a way to slow down Jacobs and the Riders.

Smithson Valley (4-10, 0-2) found an answer as Danielle Blagg buried her second three-point shot of the night to give the Rangers a brief 33-32 lead. Blagg led the Rangers with 14 points.

The teams continued to exchanged baskets until Jacobs hit the crucial free throws with less than a minute to play, giving the Riders the lead for good.

Asha Hampton-Finch caused problems as well for Smithson Valley as she was a force dominating on the offensive and defensive glass as well as blocking shots. Hampton-Finch added 7 points and Niaga Mitchell-Cole finished with 8.

Roosevelt led 13-10 after the first period as Hampton-Finch sparked the Riders with four points and two blocks. But constant turnovers and inconsistent play would plague the Lady Riders in the second quarter as Smithson Valley outscored the Lady Riders 8-4 in the period and took a 18-17 lead into halftime.

Coach Rheinberger knows that in order to make a run in always-tough 26-5A the Riders will need to reduce their turnovers, make more free throws and build confidence in the extremely young team.

“We have two seniors, seven sophomores and a freshman” he said. “The freshman and sophomores play a lot and it has to be a team effort.”