Clarke Central High School girls junior varsity basketball player Mariah Yancey poses in the Competition Gym on Jan 25. JV basketball coach Ivy Smith conducted a practice for the final game focused on getting the team ready and developing their gameplay. “We’re actually running through pregame. We’re just gonna go through the plays and the defenses,” Smith said. “We’re going to switch everybody up. When your name is called, you’re ready to go, we don’t have to reteach you at a different position. We try to move everybody to each position so they can know what to do.” Photo By Audrey St. Onge
The junior varsity girls basketball team prepares for their final game of the season on Jan. 26 at Loganville High School.
Shoes squeak loudly on the basketball court as the Clarke Central High School girls junior varsity basketball team prepares for their last game of the season on Jan. 26 at Loganville High School.
Girls JV basketball coach Ivy Smith is encouraged by the players’ motivation to win after the team’s recent loss to Eastside High School in their final home game of the season.
“I am very excited. The last two games have been great games. The girls fought really hard and they’ve actually put in a lot of work, so this game should have a different outcome,” Smith said.
Girls JV basketball player Mariah Yancey, a freshman, feels their practice will yield results and has high expectations for the LHS game, despite the team’s 0-7 record.
“I expect us to do better shooting, (have) better defense. A lot more talking to offense and defense and getting a lot more steals,” Yancey said. “(I have been) working hard and practice what I’mma do in the game.”
Working on their skills – passing, shooting and court communication – has improved the team’s gameplay, and Smith has seen the players mature throughout the season.
“I think we saw more improvement. The ladies were shooting a lot more and they (were) actually playing a lot harder.” Smith said, “A lot of the girls were not confident in their selves, but these past two games was probably the best two games that we’ve played all year because of the confidence level and them actually believing in themselves.”
