Despite a 5-2 record and a quality win over Salem earlier this year, Madison County girls’ basketball coach Dan Lampe is still trying to size up his squad seven games into the season.
The Lady Raiders recorded a lopsided victory Tuesday — beating Heritage 60-41 — but Lampe didn’t get many answers in a victory over a struggling foe.
“It’s hard to get a good gauge of this team,” Lampe said. “There’s definitely a lot we need to work on.”
He might have a better understanding after this next three-game stretch.
After a Friday matchup with an improved Rockdale County team, Madison County faces Franklin County Saturday and Loganville Tuesday.
Both the Lady Lions (4-1) and Lady Red Devils (3-3) went to the state tournament last year.
The Loganville game could be very telling, in particular, as the Lady Red Devils are one of the best teams on the other side of Region 8-AAAA, along with Salem.
“That will be a great indicator game,” Lampe said.
As for this past Tuesday, Madison County allowed just nine first half points en route to an easy victory.
The Lady Raiders, who were up by 30 by halftime, quit pressing Heritage in the second half with the comfortable lead in hand.
“It’s a really hard indicator game,” Lampe said.
Kayla Freeman led Madison County with 16 points and eight rebounds, while Shantydra Arnold added 11 for the Lady Raiders, who were coming off a 61-53 loss to Brookwood on Saturday.
One encouraging sign from Tuesday’s victory came at the free throw line, Lampe said. Freeman led the effort at the charity stripe, going 10-for-10.
•Brookwood 61, Madison Co. 53 (Dec. 5): Madison County squandered a seven-point halftime lead Saturday in its second loss of the year, falling to visiting Brookwood 61-53.
Brookwood pulled ahead 38-37 at the end of three quarters and then hit 12 of its last 16 free throws in the fourth quarter to pull away from Madison County.
The Lady Raiders played much of the game in foul trouble and with limited personnel.
“I felt that the fouls took us out of our style of play,” Lampe said.
The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Lady Raiders.
Kayla Freeman led Madison County with 15 points and Samantha LaZear added 11.
•Madison Co. 59, Monroe Area 35: Despite some stagnant first-half moments, Madison County posted an easy 59-35 over Monroe Area Friday, led by 16 points from Lauren Smith.
Kayla Freeman added 11 points and Molly Glaze scored 10 as Madison County earned a cross-over win in Region 8-AAAA play.
Glaze scored all 10 of her points Friday night in the second quarter as Madison County rallied from a 17-13 deficit. Smith hit a runner just before the half time buzzer to put the Lady Raiders up 29-19 at the break.
“It all comes down to defensive intensity,” Lampe said of his team’s slump in the first half. “We’ve really only had one good game defensively and that was against Salem.”
Madison County then outscored Monroe Area 16-5 in the first five and a half minutes of the second half to put the Lady Purple Hurricanes away.
Madison Co. 60, Heritage 41 (Dec. 8)
HHS 2 7 12 20 — 41
MCHS 17 22 8 13 — 60
Leading Scorers: Freeman 16, Arnold 11, Whieldon 8, Smith 8, Brown 4, Glaze 4, Chapell 2, LaZear 2
Brookwood 61, Madison Co. 53 (Dec. 5)
BHS 10 12 16 23 — 61
MCHS 15 14 8 16 — 53
Scorers: Freeman 15, LaZear 11, Smith 9, Glaze 5, Whieldon 4, Coberly 3, Arnold 2, Sorrells 2, Fleming 2
Madison Co. 59, Monroe Area 35 (Dec. 4)
MCHS 13 16 18 12 — 59
MAHS 11 8 11 5 — 35
Scorers: Smith 16, Freeman 11, Glaze 10, Arnold 9, Fleming 3, Sorrells 2, Moon 2, Brown 2, Whieldon 2, LaZear 2
