COURTLAND
Playing in the same tournament as the boys, the ninth-annual Lt. Nick Brantley Scholarship Tournament in Ahoskie, North Carolina, the Southampton Academy girls basketball team won two games, but fell to the eventual champions by eight in a hard-fought game.

Senior point guard Sarah Best garnered all-tournament honors as she led the Lady Raiders past Northeast Academy and Pungo Christian, but her hand injury was too much to overcome against Ridgecoft.

Head coach Jeffrey Pope was impressed with his team, which placed third in the tournament, despite some obvious concerns.

“We struggled scoring, and an injury to our best player really hampered us,” said Pope. “She still played, but it was easy to see that it was bothering her.

“She’s a tough player and she tried to give it her best in our last game.”

Like their male counterparts, the Lady Raiders fell to Bunswick Academy, 28-19, in their last outing, but Pope expects the team to get back on the right track very soon.

“We’re still looking for a true lineup to emerge, and we’ve even started an eight-grader because of that,” he said. “We just need to find the best combination and get healthy, and we’ll be in a position to be a top team in the conference.”