Suffolk News-Herald

Stephanie Adams continued her hot streak Monday, scoring 19 points in Nansemond River’s 55-41 victory over visiting Lakeland, the Lady Warriors first defeat of their local rivals since 2000-01. Adams, who scored 16 points in her team’s 41-37 defeat of Granby on Friday, led an attack that included 13 points from Brittany Maddox, a double-double of 10 points and rebounds by Brittany Pulliam, and a near-double-double of nine points and 10 rebounds by Stacey Smith.

Perhaps wary of Natasha Whitworth’s 29-point performance against King’s Fork last Friday, the Lady Warriors clamped down on the Lakeland center, holding her to nine points. Whitworth managed to lead her team in rebounds with nine, but aside from Ciara Walden’s eight, no other Lady Cav pulled down more than three. Lecetra Arrington led the Lady Cavaliers with 11 points, and Walden had 10.

Neither team could pull ahead by more than four for the first 13 minutes, but Adams swished a pair of jumpers in 28 seconds to give her squad a 29-20 advantage with 2:32 to go, and Smith knocked in two more for a 33-22 halftime advantage.

Lakeland wouldn’t quit, as Delicia Whitehead nailed a free throw and three-pointer to end the third quarter, and a layup from Arrington got them to 40-34 seven seconds into the fourth. The teams went back and forth until a three-pointer by Arrington cut the lead back to 45-39, but Adams, Maddox and Smith scored 10 consecutive points and the Lady Warrior defense held Lakeland without a field goal for the remainder.

The Lady Warriors went to Deep Creek late Monday in a game not finished at press time, while Lakeland headed to Oscar Smith. The Lady Warriors will try to avenge their second intra-Suffolk defeat on Friday at home against King’s Fork, which defeated them on Dec. 10. The Lady Cavaliers will stay home and battle Great Bridge.