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Highlands Today

Hardee Girls Sneak Past Lake Placid

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Highlands Today Staff Report

The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 3, 2008

WAUCHULA - Freshman Kunsae Wilson scored 10 points to lead the Lake Placid girls basketball team in scoring, but it was Hardee's defense that took control in the fourth quarter en route to a 36-32 victory over the Green Dragons in front of a raucous crowd on Monday night.

"I don't think the younger girls were used to such a hostile environment that they experienced in Hardee," said LP head coach Shonda Legree. "We missed way too many easy buckets tonight and Hardee took advantage."

Lake Placid (1-2) came out flat after the long holiday layoff to score just two points in the first quarter, but their defense stepped it up in the second to hold Hardee to a deuce to take a 11-9 halftime lead.

Legree says that her team is still a work in progress and hopes that with more game experience, her girls will turn the corner.

"I'm asking a lot of these girls," Legree said. "The freshmen are going from middle school straight to the varsity squad. That's a huge task for anyone, but they're handling it fine. We just need some time on the court together and hopefully we'll get better as the season progresses."

Lake Placid is back on the court Thursday when they host the Fort Meade Miners. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m.

BOYS BASKETBALL: Okeechobee 75, Lake Placid 33

OKEECHOBEE - David Jeune scored a game-high 24 points, including a trio of 3-pointers in the first quarter, and the Lake Placid boy's squad couldn't match Okeechobee's intensity in a 75-33 loss to the Brahmans on Monday.

"We just didn't show up tonight," said LP head coach David Veley. "We never got our energy level up and our effort wasn't there at all."

Green Dragon center Travalier Sholtz led LP with 12 points, while Avery Young had six points in the loss.

LP went down 34-16 at the half and Okeechobee extended that lead with a 19-9 third quarter that toppled any hopes of a comeback by the Green Dragons.

"We've got a few days off before our next game and we're going to go back to work and correct some things," Veley said. "I want to challenge our kids to come out every night with an exceptional effort.

"Being young doesn't mean you can't bring effort and energy to every practice and every game. I'm confident that the kids will come ready to work and we're headed in the right direction."

Lake Placid has a week off before its next game, which is Dec. 9 when they host cross-county rival Sebring.

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