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Loyalsock freshman Alaina Dadzie opened her high school career strong, so defenses started game planning around slowing the 6-foot forward. At one point, Loyalsock encountered teams playing a 2-3 zone seven straight games.
The strategy behind the defense was simple: stop Dadzie and one can stop Loyalsock. As the season enters the stretch run, though, it seemingly does not matter what defense anyone plays against Loyalsock. The Lancers have options everywhere and all can do damage. That was the case again Saturday against Hughesville as every player coach Curtis Jacobson used made a positive impact and helped surging Loyalsock win a fourth straight game.
Julie Ellis scored 17 points and four players produced at least eight points as Loyalsock defeated the visiting Spartans, 54-32. Seven players scored and those who did not still provided a lift in other ways as Loyalsock (13-4) dominated the final three quarters after winning a five-point thriller against Hughesville earlier this season.
“I think we have good balance and that’s good because there’s not one person teams can just lock down and our team falls apart,” Ellis said after also grabbing six rebounds. “Everyone is capable of doing everything. We can all play defense, and we can all score in multiple ways, so we feel like everyone is a threat.”
They certainly have been during this winning streak. Loyalsock is embracing the Bill Belichick mantra of everyone doing her job and it has reaped big dividends. A week earlier, Loyalsock ignited its streak by handing Bloomsburg its first District 4 loss and it is because everyone is adding some kind of quality dimension.
It stayed that way against Hughesville. Different players left their mark at key times and Loyalsock played super team basketball, dealing 15 assists on 23 field goals. Couple that with a defense which allowed just 18 points over the final three quarters, and Loyalsock had everything it needed to continue building momentum a year after four starters graduated.
“We thought everyone who played in the game tonight was a threat. They did their jobs, and they made the open shot. We were getting open shots and knocking them down helped, but sometimes it’s hard to get open shots and we did a nice job of attacking and getting to the rim,” Jacobson said. “Multiple people scored and every player made an impact. It doesn’t have to be scoring. There are so many other ways to impact a game. It’s just doing your job. It’s really as simple as that.”
One sequence best illustrated Loyalsock’s season-long evolution. The Lancers held a 15-point lead entering the fourth quarter, but Hughesville cut it to 12 with 6 minutes, 40 seconds remaining. On the next four possessions, Loyalsock produced field goals and it was four different players doing so. Good ball movement led to a free throw which made it five consecutive possessions with a score and Ellis made it 6 for 6 when she drained a baseline jumper.
Just like that, Loyalsock had put the game away. The Lancers went on a 11-2 run in less than three minutes and made sure this rematch would not resemble the one in Hughesville which was not decided until the final seconds.
“We talked about playing unselfish but not too unselfish and knowing when to attack,” Ellis said. “We have that balance and we’re able to see the court better. We’re getting used to playing with each other and knowing our strengths and weaknesses and our goals.”
A big goal early became slowing the Hughesville offense since Breanna Bobak came out firing. Bobak scored eight of her game-high 18 points in the first quarter and the lead changed hands five times before Loyalsock went ahead 17-14. From there, however, the Lancers switching defenses started squeezing the life from Hughesville’s offense.
The Lancers went man-to-man and pressed throughout the first half. Hughesville had success against it early, but Ellis did a tremendous job locking down explosive forward Alli Anstadt inside and Loyalsock began imposing its will. Loyalsock led 31-23 at halftime before going to a zone and a 3/4 press throughout the second half.
It was a new look and Loyalsock brilliantly executed it. Hughesville managed just nine second-half points and Loyalsock harassed it into a 1 for 16 third-quarter shooting performance while taking control.
“We came out strong in the first quarter and scored 17 points and we talk about how our offense brings along our defense,” Ellis said. “Most people say their defense brings along their offense, but for us it seems like our offense is bringing our defense.”
“The second time through the league you need to show different things at times, and it was effective for us,” Jacobson said. “It’s always a collective effort. Alli is a super basketball player, and we were able to at least contain her and always have a body around to box out. We had a purpose of where we needed to be, and we were pretty consistent tonight for four quarters.”
Izzy Dadzie continued her strong season and produced 11 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals. Despite foul trouble, Alaina Dadzie added eight points, five rebounds and three steals. Katie Ryder also scored 8 points and pulled down five rebounds, while Natayah Abdul-Hakim, Bella Mileto, Chloe Kennedy and Anna Luxenberger combined for six of the team’s 15 assists.
Hughesville freshman Vivian Draper was tough on the boards and grabbed nine rebounds. Ava Snyder blocked four first-half shots and Anstadt made three steals. Loyalsock, however, made sure Hughesville did not build off the offensive momentum it generated in the first quarter, surrendering just seven field goals the rest of the way.
It was another step in the right direction for a team that is starting to surge at the right time. Sure, the Lancers wanted to win every game since December, but they also always have had the big picture in mind. That continues moving forward, especially with five tough games to close the regular season.
“We just need to continue to trend in the right direction,” Jacobson said. “We just have to focus on us and find ways to get better.”
HUGHESVILLE (32)
Alli Anstadt 2 0-5 4, Breanna Bobak 6 2-2 18, Ava Snyder 3 0-0 6, Vivian Draper 1 0-2 2, Kylie Temple 0 0-0 0, Sara Stroup 0 0-0 0, Lucy Myers 1 0-0 2, Alissa Hoffman 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 2-10 32.
LOYALSOCK (54)
Alaina Dadzie 4 0-0 8, Izzy Dadzie 5 1-2 11, Julie Ellis 8 0-2 17, Katie Ryder 3 2-2 8, Natayah Abdul-Hakim 2 1-2 5, Chloe Kennedy 0 0-0 0, Bella Mileto 1 1-2 3, Anna Luxenberger 0 2-2 2. Totals 23 7-12 54.
Hughesville 14 9 2 7-32
Loyalsock 17 14 9 14-54
3-pointers: Hughesville 4 (Bobak 4); Loyalsock 1 (Ellis).
Records: Loyalsock 13-4. Hughesville 10-8.