Despite seeing its season end in the Region 1B quarterfinals, the Langford Area girls basketball squad can look back on a successful season.
Coach Michael Alberts’ club finished five games above .500, posting a 13-8 mark and winning four more games than a year ago when the Lady Lions finished at 9-13. With just three seniors graduating from this year’s roster LA’s future looks promising.
“Even though our season didn’t end the way we wanted it to, these girls have a lot to be proud of,” noted Alberts. “I think this team took some great steps this year. We saw some great improvement and everyone raised their level of play. We had a lot of ups and downs, but these girls were always ready the next day at practice to get better.”
Graduating from this year’s squad is first team Lake Region All-Conference selection guard Paytyn Marlow, center Clarissa Guy, and forward Mariah Tosse. There were also just three juniors on this year’s roster, one sophomore, two freshmen, and four eighth graders.
Marlow was the Lady Lions’ top scorer with 315 points (15 ave.). Junior Alex Darling scored 231 (11 ave.), eighth grader Josie Jensen scored 143 (6.8 ave.), and junior Lizzie Gustafson netted 102 (4.9 ave.).
Of shooters with at least 30 attempts for the season eighth grader Bailey Dwight was 15-32 for 47%, Jensen was 55-164 for 34%, and Gustafson netted 40-121 for 33%. Darling was the top three-point shooter, hitting 49 treys while shooting 27% from beyond the arc. Marlow added 38 buckets from downtown.
Darling was the squad’s best free throw shooter, hitting 38-52 for 73%. Gustafson was 221-33 for 64%. Marlow shot 140 from the charity stripe, hitting 83 for 59%.
Gustafson was the team’s top rebounder with 151 (7.2 ave.), Jensen pulled down 132, including a team-best 65 offensive boards for 6.3 per outing, Guy grabbed 125 (6 ave.), and Marlow hauled in 104 (5 ave.). Jensen led with 18 blocked shots and Darling blocked 12.
Marlow was the steals leader with 73 (3.5 ave.). Darling was right behind with 67 (3.2 ave.), and Gustafson had 55 thefts (2.6 ave.). Darling led the way with 42 assists (2.2 ave.), Gustafson had 45 (2.1 ave.), and Marlow 42 (2 ave.).
