Lake Highland Prep storms past North Marion in Class 4A quarterfinal
ORLANDO, FLORIDA — Seven is a lucky number for many people. And seven is exactly the number of games that Lake Highland Prep girls basketball coach Al Honor has as the goal for his talented bunch this postseason.
After needing just two wins to win the Class 4A, District 7 title last week, the defending state champ Highlanders (21-6) opened play in the regional playoffs on Thursday night with a convincing 90-21 quarterfinal victory against visiting North Marion. It was the most points in a game all season for Lake Highland.
Lake Highland Prep guard Eleecia Carter (1) brings the ball up court alongside teammate Saleigh Simpson (23) during Thursday night's Class 4A, Region 2 quarterfinal game against North Marion.
Photo by Jeff Gardenour
Following district play, schools need to win five playoff games to win a state title, thus accounting for the seven total postseason games that Lake Highland needs to win to repeat.
“We’re just trying to get ourselves some reps in,” Honor said. “We know how important it is to win the regular season ones. Now, it’s seven games for us to accomplish our goals.
“We don’t keep track of the team names (we play),” Honor said. “This is our third game (of the postseason). It’s win number three. We just chop it, one by one. That’s our goal.”
This latest game was all but over by the end of the first quarter as Lake Highland used a suffocating defense, smooth transition and great speed to take a commanding 29-2 lead. The Highlanders then went on a 12-0 run to open the second quarter and never looked back.
Lake Highland Prep's Eleecia Carter (1) and Camila Depool (3) put the defensive pressure on North Marion's D'nhia Johnson (10) during their Class 4A, Region 2 quarterfinal game on Thursday night. Lake Highland won 90-21.
Photo by Jeff Gardenour
Three players scored in double figures for Lake Highland, which is ranked No. 1 in Class 4A in the FHSAA Power Rankings and No. 4 overall in Florida by Scorebook Live.
Junior guard/forward Lexi Blue, who already has a boatload of college offers, led the Highlanders with 24 points. She had 15 by halftime as Lake Highland took a 58-5 lead into the locker room.
Junior guard Camila Depool added 20 points, and Tennessee Chattanooga-signee Eleecia Carter, 17 points, for the Highlanders. Carter scored all of her points in the first half.
Seven players in all scored for Lake Highland, which has just one senior in its lineup but plays like a team that is on a championship trajectory. In winning their sixth straight game, the Highlanders have scored 75 points or more four times during the streak.
“We showed we can play as a team together,” said Carter, who used her speed to score on many layups against North Marion. “At first, we struggled with it a little bit. We kind of got our groove on as we got closer and closer (to the postseason).
“We all have the same end goal,” Carter said, “from pushing and it all came together.”
Lake Highland Prep's Alla Oskarsdottir (5) drives the ball against North Marion in Thursday night's Class 4A, Region 2 quarterfinal game. She finished with eight points, including a pair of 3-pointers.
Photo by Jeff Gardenour
Lake Highland prides itself on using sound defensive play to transition into its run-and-gun offense. Turnovers came in bunches for North Marion, which struggled to get anything going from the start. By the time the first quarter buzzer sounded, five players had scored for the Highlanders, led by Blue’s 10 points.
“The girls work hard,” Honor said. “Our practices are made that way. If you can turn them over and you can grab the ball, the quicker you can get up court and play with our guards.
“That’s the way our game is going to be,” Honor said. “We try to set the tempo.”
North Marion (11-12) was led by D’nhia Johnson, who scored 12 points, seven in the second half.
Lake Highland next plays Eustis (16-9) in the regional semifinals on Tuesday, Feb. 14. Eustis beat Cocoa, 60-52, in another quarterfinal.
As for what the Highlanders need to do going forward, Honor said: “play as a unit. Share the basketball. Move the basketball. I think we can be very successful that way.”
