Matoaca girls’ basketball had a landmark season under Glenna Lewis, winning 18 games and advancing to the second round of the region 5B tournament, where the team fell to Highland Springs. This year, they lost just two players, and five seniors return. This is a group that’s clearly hungry for more and could push L.C. Bird for local supremacy during the 2019-20 season.
Departed players: Jania Harrison, Nadja Gray
Returning players: Jordan Carpenter, Aliyah Coleman, Aliyah Jackson, Maia Pettaway, Alize Armstead
Backcourt: This will be an experienced and deep group, even down to sophomore Pettaway, who played a full season of varsity as a freshman last year. She’s a player to watch as she develops, and she has the potential to play at the college level. Coleman and Jackson are experienced guards who will be looked to to provide good defense and scoring. Kyndell Satterwhite will be expected to contribute, as well. Hannah Williams, Lauryn George, Kylie Booth, and Kiana Brown are all what Lewis called “young and balanced players.”
“We are a guard-heavy team, but that’s okay- it works well for what we do,” Lewis said of her team.
Frontcourt: Carpenter is perhaps one of the most underrated players in the area. She is a threat to get a double-double each night. Armstead is more of a defensive specialist, but both Carpenter and Armstead will protect the inside, backed up by Jada Robinson and Allyson Booth.
Lewis has seen much growth in her team over the past two seasons, but focal points for the Warriors will be better team chemistry in pressure situations and improving basketball IQ. The coach went on to say that she has a good core group of kids that can all help out in a substantial way.
The ceiling is high for Matoaca this year. The team has committed to a “strength in numbers” mentality and hope to have the chemistry to accomplish bigger tasks together. Lewis said the team’s goal this season is to “win the last game, whatever that will be.”
