Banks County’s Lady Leopards are less than a week away from the first game of the region tournament. At press time, the current standings have Banks County, 2-7; 10-14, facing either Jefferson, 5-4; 13-9, or Hart County, 6-4; 12-11, next week, Feb. 14.
Before entering into the region tournament the girls are looking to end the regular season on a high note with a road victory over Dawson County, 0-6; 6-9, this week.
Banks County heads to Dawsonville looking for a repeat of the January home game where the Lady Leopards pulled an eight point victory over the Lady Tigers. Friday’s regular season closer tips off at 7 p.m.
With the final regular season game ahead, coach Jerry King is hoping to carry some winning momentum through the final game and into the tournament.
The girls split last week, dropping a game to East Hall, then picking up big win over Union County.
“Anytime a team drives over Blood Mountain and gets a win it is big,” King said. “Hopefully, we can use this as a momentum and confidence boost going into the tournament.”
Union County was having to fight a deficit after the first period as the Lady Leopards came put strong Friday night. Banks County pulled ahead 12-2 after the opening minutes and never looked back. The opening lead was a key to success as the Lady Panthers outscored Banks County in the second and fourth periods.
Ahead 21-13 at the break, Banks County battled bucket for bucket in the third period, keeping the seven point buffer as both sides dropped in 10 points. The Lady Leopards had their most productive minutes in the final eight, scoring 13 points. Union County started a rally, tallying 17 points in the final period, but were unable to close the distance as Banks County earned their second sub-region victory, 44-40.
Madison Franklin led the girls’ offense with 13 points, followed by Taylor Kennedy dropping in 12 and Deasha Beasley putting up eight points. McKenna Rylee scored six, Savannah Blalock scored two, Sarah O’Kelley scored two and Katlin Parks scored one point.
Last Tuesday, the girls faced East Hall and took a hard 53-34 loss.
Trailing 16-31 at the half, the Lady Leopards made a productive third period, scoring 11 points, only to be matched by 11 points from East Hall.
In the final quarter, East Hall extended its lead out with another 11 points to secure the win, holding Banks County to seven points. The lack of individual double-digit scoring hurt the Lady Leopards offense as leading scorers Beasley, with seven, was paced by Franklin and O’Kelley each with six points.
Kennedy scored six and Rylee contributed three, followed by Blalock, Parks and Laura Rose Pickens with two points apiece.
