By Thomas Sellers Jr.
The Tipton-Rosemark Academy Lady Rebels are 2-0 after last Thursday night’s game in the TRA Gymnasium. But the road to both wins were paved differently. TRA Head Coach Cameron Pridemore saw an offensive explosion in the season opener Nov. 14 against Magnolia Heights leading to a 61-29 victory. Then came Game Two of the 2017-18 season against the St. Agnes Stars. The final score of that contest was 44-32 in favor of the Lady Rebels. The offense wasn’t a crisp with TRA missing all three-point attempts against the Stars. But the Lady Rebels were able to improve after a lackluster first half just leading 24-20. “I think Jordan Allen was huge there in the second half rebounding the ball, finishing the ball,” Pridemore said. “It wasn’t our best effort. I say effort, but I thought the effort was there. I think it wasn’t the best from a technical standpoint of taking care of the ball and being strong with the ball. I think we got a little lazy. “I think we gave in to being tired a little bit in the second half,” he added. “Jordan made some huge plays, second-chance plays. Shots weren’t falling tonight. I told them those nights happen and we were still able to find a way. I was proud of them.” Allen scored 8 points in the third quarter helping TRA extend its advantage 35-26. Throughout the first half the Lady Rebels were paced by Allen and Brianna Hall who scored 4 points each in the opening quarter. The game was deadlock at 10-10 heading into the second quarter. Megan Sanfratello joined the scoring output with Hall and Allen with 5 points. TRA was ahead by 4 points heading into the third quarter. The advantage grew to 9 points as the fourth quarter started. The Lady Rebels outscored St. Agnes 9-6 in the final 8 minutes with Abby West hitting a pair of foul shots, Brianna driving in the lane for a bucket and Sanfratello scoring on a three-point play. The final points of the game came courtesy of Allen at the line. “We rested enough after Tuesday night,” Pridemore recalled. “Oh boy, they played their tails off Tuesday night. I don’t think we were tired. It was just one of those night where they weren’t falling. I was proud of them for finding a way.
“Some nights are going to be a grind,” he concluded. “Some nights the ball just ain’t falling. The defense can always be there our effort can always be there. For the most part it was tonight. We had to grind it out. Polar opposite games from Tuesday to tonight.”
