North Port rides fast-break offense to rare win over Lakewood Ranch
NORTH PORT
When LaDazhia Williams was in the pivot for Lakewood Ranch High, the North Port High girls basketball team, like many others throughout the state, struggled to stop the Mustangs.
But with Williams now playing at the University of South Carolina, the Bobcats, off to their best start in program history, had a prime opportunity Friday night to gauge their progress.
Scoring the first two baskets of the game, North Port secured the lead and never relinquished it in a 60-49 victory over the Mustangs in a matchup of two of the area's top teams.
“Amazing,” North Port senior center Alexis Francavilla said.
It was the first time Francavilla, who had some titanic battles with Williams the past few years, defeated Lakewood Ranch.
North Port (10-1) had dropped seven straight to the Mustangs during the past four years, including being eliminated 55-35 in the first round of regionals last year. Before Friday, the Bobcats’ most recent victory over Lakewood Ranch was Jan. 11, 2014, a 50-49 thriller won on a 3-pointer by Shauna Naudascher.
“(We) jumped out early and stayed there,” Bobcats coach Dale Huffman said.
Emani Jefferson and Aryana Hough dropped in layups in the first 47 seconds of the game for North Port, which quickly jumped out to a double-digit lead in the first quarter using its fast-break offense.
A seven-point run by the Mustangs (7-4) late in the second quarter closed the gap to 30-27.
“We were taking away the transition baskets,” Lakewood Ranch first-year coach Melanie Johnson said. “That was the game plan from the beginning.”
The Bobcats turned a five-point halftime lead into double digits by scoring the first eight points and 14 of the first 16 to begin the third quarter. Saddled with foul trouble early, Jefferson returned to the lineup and re-ignited her team.
“When Jefferson got in foul trouble and I had to sit her with two, everybody stayed strong, and we went up five,” Huffman said. “As soon as we got Emani back on the floor again, we knew we could open it back up again.”
Francavilla contributed 16 points, 17 rebounds and four blocks, and she had plenty of help. Kristin Powell popped in 14 points in the first three quarters, Jefferson added 13 and Hough 11.
“This team has the potential to do something,” Huffman said. “Everybody was scoring. They all can score. They all can play.”
So far in this early part of the season, the Bobcats have defeated Sarasota, Southeast and Lakewood Ranch, three teams they have struggled with recently. North Port’s only loss is a district setback to Naples Gulf Coast.
“This whole week we’ve been beating teams that we usually don’t beat. It’s rewarding to see all the hard work is paying off,” Francavilla said.
Lakewood Ranch got 16 points from Kaitlin Bell, 13 from Kayla Bell and nine from Sarah Fazio.
“We didn’t execute and do what we were supposed to do,” said Johnson, whose club permitted 20 points off transition baskets in the second half. “That’s something we can control. We dug ourselves a hole and wanted pity for somebody to get us out of it.”
Lakewood Ranch travels to Brooks-DeBartolo Collegiate Prep on Saturday in Tampa. North Port plays Charlotte on Tuesday and Braden River on Thursday before heading to Southeast High for a Christmas Tournament.