The Valdosta High School gymnasium was filled to maximum capacity on Saturday night in hopes that the Wildcats’ season’s first meetings with their crosstown rival Lowndes Vikings would be something to see. Valdosta faithful sported their brightest attire in what was a “whiteout” for the home crowd. Those in attendance will likely be talking about the games for quite a while; both varsity matchups were well worth the price of admission.
Valdosta Lady Cats 44, Lowndes Vikettes 42
In the first varsity contest, the Lady Wildcats edged out a close 44-42 win over the Vikettes. Falling behind by as many as 10 points, the Lady ‘Cats were able to put together all that they had and pull out a victory in front of the enormous sea of onlookers.
Leading the way for the Lady ‘Cats was junior forward Desinee Arnold. After the team fought their way back from an eight-point deficit, she was fouled on a baseline drive; after converting the layup on the left side of the basket, she was able to complete the and-one with a free throw to tie the game with 1:08 remaining in the third. Senior Mikayla Davis has an impressive outing as well; seemingly in the right place at all the right moments, she was able to provide the extra spark that the home team needed to push themselves over the wall.
Defense played a major role in the victory for the home team; Valdosta was able to hold the Vikettes to a mere three points in the third quarter. Lowndes senior Haley Fowler kept the game within reach with a clutch three-pointer late in regulation, followed by a timely layup from teammate Faith Starling to keep the game within one possession. However, the drive that kept the Lady ‘Cats determination high proved to be too much for the crimson and white visitors.
Current Standings
Lowndes: 13-7 (2-2 in Region 1-AAAAAA)
Valdosta: 10-10 (2-1 in Region 1-AAAAAA)
Upcoming Games
Lowndes: January 19 vs. Florida State University (Tallahassee, Fla.)
Valdosta: January 22 vs. Lee County
Valdosta Wildcats 47, Lowndes Vikings 42
In similar fashion, the varsity boys put on a terrific show for the crowd, pulling out a tight victory over the visiting Vikings for their first region win of the season. In a game where neither team led by more than six points, the decision once again came down to the defensive efforts of the black and gold hosts. After trailing 21-17 at the half, the home team was able to hold the Vikings to six points in the third quarter, ending the quarter with a 32-27 lead.
Early contributions from Vikings’ guard Octavious Fudge and forward Brandon Benjamin guided Lowndes to sizeable lead, but in the end, Valdosta’s lockdown defense proved to be too much to overcome. Junior guard Christian Knight connected on a three-pointer to give the Vikings a 42-40 lead with two minutes remaining in the game; however, the Wildcats would hold their opponents scoreless for the rest of the contest en route to the win.
Seniors Brandon Sharper (11 points) and Kendall Hicks (12 points), as well as junior guard John Slater led the way for the ‘Cats on the offensive end, combining for 33 of the team’s 47 points on the night. While the Wildcats struggled as a team from long range (going 3-of-18), Sharper and Slater each shot 25 percent from beyond the arc and were responsible for the three converted attempts. On the defensive end, Sharper (2) and Hicks (1) combined for three blocks on the night as well.
Current Standings
Lowndes: 11-9 (1-3 in Region 1-AAAAAA)
Valdosta: 8-11 (1-2 in Region 1-AAAAAA)
Upcoming Games
Lowndes: January 19 vs. Florida State University (Tallahassee, Fla.)
Valdosta: January 22 vs. Lee County
In the Game / Web-Only
Basketball Recap: Valdosta-Lowndes
A Wild Night in Wildcat Country
By James Washington
