Local Sports

Lake Placid whips Avon Park in girls basketball

Photos

Mark Pinson | Highlands Today
Published: December 13, 2012

LAKE PLACID - – Senior guard Alex Coyne scored a game-high 24 points and Reveen Gobourne added 17 points to lead Lake Placid to a convincing 62-44 win over Avon Park in girls district basketball on Tuesday night.

The lopsided Class 4A-District 10 win improved the Green Dragons to 5-3 overall and 4-0 in district play.

"I'm really pleased with our effort as a team," said Lake Placid second-year coach Jackie Coyne. "We worked really hard in practice on post play and our post players did a great job of scoring, rebounding and getting Avon Park in foul trouble.

"We have plenty of room for improvement, especially from the free throw line, but this was a huge district win for us."

The disappointing loss dropped the Red Devils to 7-4 overall and 2-2 in district action.

"We didn't shoot or rebound well," said Avon Park coach Paulette Daley. "Give Lake Placid credit because they outhustled us at times.

"We played well in spurts, but we couldn't maintain any consistency and it hurt us."

Both teams started out strong as Lake Placid's Bria Wilson dominated the paint by scoring four of her 13 points.

Avon Park's Toryanna Jones netted eight of her team-high 18 points to tie the score at 16 heading to the second quarter.

The Green Dragons utilized a tenacious full-court press to force the Red Devils into a staggering 27 turnovers, which Lake Placid converted into easy baskets.

Wilson scored three points, and Coyne, who has the ability to drive or shoot from the outside, buried a 3-pointer from the top of the key at the buzzer to give the Green Dragons a commanding 33-24 lead at the half.

"That was a big basket for us," Coach Coyne said. "It gave us the momentum heading into the half and with us being a second-half team it worked out well for us."

The third quarter was all Lake Placid as Gobourne scored six points, Wilson had four and Coyne added seven as the Green Dragons took a 52-32 lead into the final eight minutes.

"We did a great job of attacking the offensive glass," Coach Coyne said. "We got a lot of second and third shots and got Avon Park in foul trouble.

"We missed a lot of free throws and that's something we have to work on."

With the big lead, Lake Placid was able to substitute and every Green Dragon player managed quality minutes of action.

The Green Dragons are back on the floor with a home game on Friday against district opponent DeSoto.

"We're just starting to become a team and we have to get these kids in the gym over the holiday break," Coach Coyne said. "We have to keep them in shape and buy into what we're doing.

"We can't afford 18 days off because we'd have to almost start over and I don't want to do that."

Avon Park has a chance to bounce back with a home game against struggling district rival Frostproof on Friday night.

"It's early in the season, but we have to be more consistent," said Daley. "We need to pound it inside against Frostproof, rebound the ball better and execute the way we're capable."

mpinson@highlandstoday.com (863) 386-5837