Preps Plus

A small sophomore kept scoring for Albemarle, pouring in bucket after bucket.
After an 18-point performance in the Patriots’ season opening, 46-37 victory over Western Albemarle, there was one big question—who exactly is Tamika Lewis?
“We knew when she came out last year as a ninth grader that she was going to be something else,“ said Albemarle coach Anita Jenkins. “She’s the complete package there.“
On a team filled with proven entities like guards Abby Hendrix and Cynthia Jackson as well as post player Laura Gomez, Lewis held her own coming out party on Tuesday night. Lewis hit a pair of 3-pointers, the only two long balls in the game, and scored throughout the contest as those proven entities struggled at times against a Western program known for its defensive prowess.
“[Lewis] had a very very good game, she hit some key shots,“ said Western coach Kris Wright. “She obviously was a big difference in what was going on, along with C.J. [Jackson].“
Jackson really got things started for the Patriots with six points in the first half, knocking down some easy lay-ins as Albemarle tried to push the ball. Jackson was quieter in the second half, and then went down with a right ankle injury with just over two minutes to play in the game.
“I’ve got to check on her and see what’s going on,“ Jenkins said.
The Patriots’ strategy of high pressure defense and up-tempo offense against a young Western squad seemed to work well as the Warriors had trouble finishing on the offense end. The Patriots got a big effort from Abby Hendrix on the defensive end as the junior came up with a number of steals and crashed the boards well.
Only Caitlin Boles, with 10 points, managed to crack double digits for Western. Boles is the only senior on the Western roster, and a number of sophomores are starting or seeing significant minutes for the Warriors.
“We did better as the game went along and I think you should expect that out of a group that’s young,“ Wright said. “When you watch this group play, you can tell they know what’s going on and they kind of know the system, it’s just a matter of trusting and getting confident in it.“
Western graduated a fine senior class last year the included Mary Schwartz, Molly Schwoebel, Sadeka Dosu and Shannon Bayliss, not to mention a number or role players. In Wright’s first year at the helm after taking over for Jason Barnett, the Warriors are turning the program over to a new group that includes Ellen Shaffrey.
Shaffrey did a lot of the little things for Western against the Patriots, cleaning up on the boards and playing strong defense that helped limit Gomez to just one bucket. Still, the scoring has to come for Shaffrey, who finished with six points, and odds are good it will as she grows into her new role as a leader for Western.
“It’s going to have to,“ Wright said. “I don’t say that to put pressure on her, but she knows that, I know that and the team knows that. Ultimately she’s got to find the openings a little more comfortably and get up more shots.“
Next up for Albemarle is Heritage at home on Thursday at 8 p.m. while Western will play Miller and Heritage in the Tip-Off Classic that it’s hosting this week.