It was a busy five weeks for the Lady Red Raiders’ varsity basketball team. Madison County’s girls started their summer training the last week in May and finished last Wednesday.
The Lady Raiders headed to the Loganville camp to begin the summer, where the team faced several top five-A schools from around the state. Against the challenges, the girls made a good start, going 5-3.
“The team really progressed as the season went on,” said coach Dan Lampe.
“I told the team early on that we are not as good beginning the summer as we were last year. However, we have a greater propensity for improvement because the new starters haven’t had many reps up to this point, but with patience, hard work and commitment we can be even better at the finish line.”
The Lady Raiders lost the “Three Amigos” as Lampe called Lauren Smith, Shantydra Arnold and Juvonna Fleming but return two starters and the girls who are stepping up have already shown they can be a force on the court.
“When this team collectively decides to play all out we are going to be very hard to beat,” said Lampe.
Coach Lampe has a reason to be confident. The Lady Raiders put on a great show during the summer series, leaving Loganville to head to Mill Creek for a one-night exhibition, where Madison County won all of its games. The team then attended the team camp at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga where, despite dropping one game, they won the highest division.
Returning to Georgia, the ladies attended the Jefferson camp where Madison County went toe-to-toe with the Gwinnett County five-A schools and Hart County. The Lady Raiders would only drop one game to Peachtree Ridge.
Based on the performance during the summer the Lady Raiders are hoping to repeat as the region champs and make a push past the Elite Eight next season.
“The UTC camp was a great experience for the team; the team really came together off the court which made them a much better team on the court, winning the highest division at the camp,” Lampe said.
“Head coach Wes Moore at UTC had a lot of good things to say about the team and "has his eye" on several of the upper classmen.”
According to Lampe, the team saved the best performance till the end as the girls took on Duluth and North Gwinnett at Jefferson.
North Gwinnett had just derailed Winder by a 40-point margin. Madison County kept Duluth to under 30, and North Gwinnett under 40 points and defeated both schools by double digits.
Lampe said that the team outworked opponents on the boards and put forth the best defensive effort.
Looking at individual performances, Lampe said that each of the girls showed key elements needed.
Kayla Freeman returns, stepping up from last year’s performance.
“[Freeman’s] low post presence is the best we saw all summer (offensively and defensively). We have a mismatch anytime Kayla comes on the floor.”
Juleigh Fouche came in as point guard this summer and according to Lampe her decision making improved to match her improvements handling the ball.
Molly Glaze “really found her stride offensively,” with solid three-point shooting and penetration to the rim.
Proving to be the energy player for the team, Areil Sorrells took the most charges, more than the rest of the team combined, and Lampe said her hustle on defense and effort at the boards was contagious.
Elise Coberly created a name for herself as the team’s “silent assassin,” working the boards and sinking the three ball.
“[Coberly] creates a dilemma for the opposing team, do you want to cover her or double Kayla?”
Rounding out the team with sheer physical dominance is Nekia Brown.
“In setting screens and defensively she doesn’t allow a layup with out exacting a price from the opponent,” Lampe said, adding that many times after facing her, the other team decides a mid-range jumper is "wiser".
