It’s highly unlikely that you’ll see the Scotland High girls basketball team in the state playoffs this year. With a Sandhills Athletic Conference record of 3-9, the Lady Scots’ only chance at a postseason berth is winning the conference tournament.
But don’t let the team’s record overshadow how much the Lady Scots have improved this season.
The biggest question prior to this season was who would fill the crucial roles that Niaria Leach and Nautika Moore held as seniors last season. Leach was a versatile scorer and playmaker, while Moore did a good job of running the offense at point guard.
As expected, Asjah Swindell has been Scotland’s primary scorer this season. She’s averaging 13.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. She shoulders a lot of weight on both ends of the floor, both as a player and a leader, and Swindell has shown that she is capable of handling those responsibilities.
Senior Sierra Breeden took over at point guard after Moore graduated. Breeden had prior varsity experience on her resume, but her role wasn’t nearly as significant as it is this year; she’s in charge of running the offense, and there’s no true replacement for her on the bench.
Breeden’s improvement this season has been noticeable. She’s exhibiting more confidence and aggressiveness than she did in the earliest stages of the season. She is more comfortable with creating her own shot and drawing contact. Breeden has scored in double figures four times this season, and she’s scored at least eight points on eight different occasions.
Another emerging player is Kadence Sheppard. The sophomore already established herself as a capable defender last season, but she’s added offensive weapons to her arsenal this season. She’s become more effective at driving to the basket and generating opportunities when they’re needed most. Sheppard is averaging nine points and 6.6 rebounds per game.
The Lady Scots have two games left before the conference tournament. They’ll host Lumberton on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. Lumberton narrowly defeated Scotland 41-39 on Jan. 30. The Lady Scots will then travel to Richmond on Friday night. The Lady Raiders won the first meeting between the two teams, 51-43, on Jan. 17.
The Lady Scots know they can compete with both of those teams. It’s just a matter of doing the little things correctly — limiting turnovers, making good passes, making free throws and staying alert on defense.
If the Lady Scots do those things, they have a chance to end the regular season on a good note and enter the conference tournament with some momentum.
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