Faith Academy girls basketball loses to Veritas
CAPTION: Sophomore guard Olivia Kraenzel helps with the Lady Flames’ scoring. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro
The Faith Academy of Marble Falls girls basketball team lost to Austin Veritas 60-46 Nov. 20.
“We definitely had our opportunities and we just did not execute well,” Lady Flames head coach Harvey Vaughn said. “We got in foul (trouble) in the second quarter, so that didn’t help the situation. It put some girls in situations where they had to go against pressure. And we have a lot more learning to do. No moral victories, but they are doing (some) things right.”
That was illustrated by a four-point deficit headed into the final stanza. The Lady Flames had trailed by as much as eight points throughout the contest.
With the small deficit and realizing some Lady Flames had logged heavy minutes for three quarters, Vaughn allowed a couple to rest.
Veritas saw the line-up change and pounced.
“I felt like we were making our move and we made one or two subs, and it just went in the ditch quick,” the coach said. “You get back in there and you’re fighting, and it’s a six-, seven-, eight-point game. And then all of a sudden, they get two steals, and it’s a 12-point game with a minute left. Once I know (the outcome), then I have to get some people in there.”
Senior post Natalie Weems led Faith with 21 points followed by sophomore guard Olivia Kraenzel with 10, sophomore Layla Terrell added six, junior post Megan Burrows and sophomore guard Cuyleigh Zimmerman each scored four, and guard Selby Sanchez finished with one.
Half of Weems’ points came from offensive rebounds.
“She’s pretty strong on the boards – she can get up pretty high,” Vaughn said. “We just needed to get her the ball more.”
One challenge is helping his players react positively to what they’re seeing as the game plays out,
“Every time down the floor it’s like they have a blank stare versus coming down, knowing what you’re trying to do every time,” the coach said. “And if that’s not working, we get out of it. But they’re coming down with not having a real idea of where their advantage is and what they need to do.”
So helping the Lady Flames get to a point of knowing how to put and keep an opponent on their heels is the next step.
“Understand it’s a four-point game,” the coach said. “We have to execute. When your coach tells you to come down and feed the post every single time we come down the floor, that’s what needs to happen – that’s where your advantage is.”
The Lady Flames will play Veritas Thanksgiving Tip-off Classic Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 24-25. The play Round Rock Christian at 10:15 a.m. and either Gloria Deo or Austin Valor North at 1 p.m. then move into bracket play Tuesday.
“The last two games (a 29-23 loss to Belton Providence Prep) were games we definitely could have won,” Vaughn said. “It wasn’t like we lost the last shot at anything, but they were games that were close enough, and we’re right in there.”
CAPTION: Sophomore guard Cuyleigh Zimmerman handles plenty for the Lady Flames. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro
