LCA To Open Sectional Play Against Bethany Christian
Posted
Mark Howe-mhowe@timesuniononline.com
WINONA LAKE – Lakeland Christian Academy started its girls basketball season wanting to leave the opposition knowing they were tough competitors. Head coach Brian Harshman said his team, while needing to develop more continuity, has made progress this year. “For the most part we’ve done a good job of showing up for at least a quarter or two in those big games,” said Harshman. “We’re not completely consistent yet; we’re still having trouble with teams like Argos and Culver (Community) where they can just put so much pressure on us, and we need to learn to deal with that. “As far as a lot of our sectional teams, we just gave Elkhart Christian a big scare, coming back from 20 down and only lost by two. So we were in the battle and put forth the effort we need to be successful.” Statistically, Rachel Sand and Hannah Delp are team leaders for LCA, averaging 13.2 and 11.0 points per game, respectively. The two combine for more than eight rebounds per game, and are getting help from Maryl Gerst, Ashley Ormsby and Carissa Urschalitz. That trio combines for another 11.5 points and nine rebounds per game. Harshman said he’s enjoyed watching his team grow this season, gaining confidence in itself along the way. “We’ve had some moments where we’re really starting to shine. That Elkhart Christian game was huge for us, because I think we believe now in what they can do. “I think our team is really starting to believe and buy in to what we’re doing. It’s taken a while to develop some things that we were just missing, and now we’re stronger with those things and it’s bringing a lot of confidence to our team.” In the Lakewood Park 1A Sectional in Auburn, LCA will take on Bethany Christian at 6 p.m. Tuesday, with the winner taking on Fort Wayne Blackhawk in the first Friday semifinal at 6 p.m. The Lady Cougars have played the Bruins twice this season, losing 42-29 in Goshen on Nov. 24 and again in Bethany’s mid-season tournament 52-36 on December 20. On the other side of the bracket, the host school’s team has a bye and will take on the winner of Tuesday’s 7:30 game between Hamilton and Elkhart Christian. The championship contest will be at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. No team in the sectional had a winning record this season. Harshman said there’s an advantage to being so familiar with an opponent, as will be the case with Bethany. “The first time we played them, I’d look back on our season and say it was probably the worst game we’ve played. We did hang in there a little bit, but it didn’t end well,” he said. “In that second game in the tournament, they got their (center) back, and we didn’t learn how to rebound well with her in the game, and she took over. She single-handedly got us that day. So we now know what they’ve got, and we’ve seen her, too, and we can prepare for her and the rest of the team. “We’re going to know a lot of what they do. We’ve grown a lot as a team since the last time we saw them, so I think it’ll be a pretty good game.”
