Freshman guard-forward Sami White scored 17 points, eight during a 10-2 Loudoun County run to start the second half, as the Captains defeated host Tuscarora Wednesday night, 42-36.
“As a freshman she can impact the game in so many ways,” said Loudoun County coach Raven Short of White. “She can rebound, she can facilitate, she can defend. She’s just special.”
With Tuscarora leading 20-19 at half, White scored the first two baskets of the second half. Then, after teammate Sammy Boyers got a bucket off an Olivia Eastlake steal, White kept the pressure on. When Boyers missed a three, White grabbed the rebound and scored. After a Tuscarora bucket, the freshman then went coast-to-coast to immediately respond with a layup.
Tuscarora stabilized things after a time out, but couldn’t find enough offense to get any closer than four points the rest of the way. The Huskies did do some damage inside, but Loudoun County’s defense mostly held up, limiting the Huskies to 22% field goal shooting.
Meanwhile, Tuscarora’s defense had no answer for White, who got to the line 16 times on the evening. She didn’t have her best night shooting free throws, but she provided enough makes to get it done.
“My free throws should have been better,” she said. “But I had good intensity and energy and I just kept driving.”
White’s 11 rebounds were also an important factor as the Captains held their own on the boards against the taller Huskies. That rebounding is important if the Captains are to continue their success.
“It’s going really well, but we definitely need to rebound well because we aren’t tall,” White said. “And we just need to keep our energy up even when we’re down.”
The sophomore Boyers added eight points for Loudoun County (5-5), which resumes play Thursday night at Lightridge. Senior forward Esther Paul contributed seven points and nine rebounds.
Tuscarora’s tough start continues, as the Huskies (0-10) remain winless. They’ve suffered a lot of close losses, but continue to have trouble overcoming the graduation of do-everything Alysa Carrigan. Senior forward Natalie Tikalsky led them with eight points.
–Chris Jollay
all statistics are unofficial
| LOUDOUN COUNTY | FG | FT | TP | REB | AST | |
| BOYERS | 3-14 | 1-2 | 8 | 5 | 1 | |
| WHITE | 5-9 | 7-16 | 17 | 11 | 2 | |
| EASTLAKE | 2-6 | 0-1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | |
| MANNI | 1-2 | 0-0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| PAUL | 3-11 | 0-0 | 7 | 9 | 1 | |
| Henly | 0-7 | 1-2 | 1 | 7 | 2 | |
| E.Ward | 1-7 | 0-0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | |
| Z.Ward | 0-3 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| TOTALS | 15-59 | 9-21 | 42 | 37 | 10 | |
| Threes: Paul 1-3, E.Ward 1-6, Boyers 1-9, Eastlake 0-1, White 0-1, Henly 0-2 | ||||||
| TUSCARORA | FG | FT | TP | REB | AST | |
| PAGE | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| URE | 2-6 | 1-4 | 5 | 8 | 2 | |
| TIKALSKY | 2-8 | 4-7 | 8 | 4 | 0 | |
| HAHN | 1-12 | 2-2 | 4 | 12 | 1 | |
| SZEBALSKIE | 3-14 | 0-0 | 7 | 3 | 2 | |
| Williams | 2-4 | 3-4 | 7 | 5 | 1 | |
| Motley | 1-2 | 0-0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| Middleton | 1-3 | 0-0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | |
| Horvatonovich | 0-5 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| TOTALS | 12-54 | 10-17 | 36 | 39 | 6 | |
| Threes: Motley 1-2, Szebalskie 1-4, Horvatonovich 0-5 | ||||||