GIRLS BASKETBALL
Wakefield freshman (22) Makayla Williams swoops in for two of her six points in Thursday's 53-16 victory at Leesville Road.
Lady Wolverines pounce on Pride
In its last Cap-7 Conference contest before the holiday break, the Wakefield girls basketball team wasted little time knocking off Leesville Road Thursday, jumping out to a 17-4 advantage en route to a 53-16 victory.
Powered by a strong first-half performance from senior Kayla Harris, who scored all 15 of her points in the opening two quarters, the Lady Wolverines never allowed the Pride to get into a rhythm.
With Harris causing havoc in the paint, senior Nicole Weaver provided Wakefield with an outside presence, tallying 11 points and hitting three three-pointers.
Wakefield's Nicole Weaver (24) battles for position for a rebound Tuesday against Millbrook. She later hit a three-pointer lifting the Lady Wolverines to a 43-39 victory.
Christian, Wakefield hand Cats OT loss
Having just watched her Wakefield girls basketball team cough up an eight-point, fourth-quarter lead at Millbrook Tuesday— and now headed for overtime — head coach Danielle Blackburn put the game squarely on the Lady Wolverines' upperclassmen, recalled senior Nicole Weaver.
"During that timeout before overtime, Coach Blackburn told us she was putting in all our seniors and it was our job to finish the game," the forward explained. "And I think we got in the mindset that we weren't going to lose."
Brittany Christian, the Wakefield's one consistent threat all night, did her part, nailing an early three-pointer, giving the Lady Wolverines' an early 39-36 advantage, but Millbrook's Courtney Spearman answered back two minutes later with her own trey.
Sanderson's Derricka Lewis (left) scored 22 points in Thursday's match-up at Wakefield, but Kayla Harris (right) — and her 32 points — helped the Lady Wolverines to an 18-point victory.
Lady Wolverines fight off Spartan challenge
Wakefield senior Brittany Christian understood or came to understand three truths during Thursday night's 78-60 victory in the Cap-7 Conference girls basketball opener against Sanderson.
First, the Lady Spartans' shooters — especially Courtney Trumps, who scored 23 points — can definitely light it up. "We knew they had good guards," the Lady Wolverine recalled.
Secondly, Sanderson freshman Derricka Lewis is a star in the making — well, maybe already a star. "She was just killing it out there, taking it to the basket," she said. "She is going to be good. She already is good."
And finally, the best way to answer a run — like the 10-2 spurt by the Lady Spartans in the second quarter — is to go on one of your own.
Wakefield senior Kayla Harris scored 18 points in Wednesday's tough loss at Green Hope.
Undefeated
Green Hope hands Wolverines first loss
Three minutes into the second half of Wednesday's 56-46 loss, the Wakefield girls basketball team appeared to have Green Hope reeling — quite an accomplishment given the Falcons' blustering first half.
On the strength of Kristen Gaffney's 22-point first half — the sophomore finished with 28 — Green Hope (5-0) took a commanding 35-22 lead into halftime.
But the Lady Wolverines rallied, scoring the second half's first seven points, including a Brittany Christian trey, which brought an explosion from the Wakefield bench and forced a Green Hope timeout.
As Christian leapt in excitement, teammate Kayla Harris slapped her on the back as the Lady Wolverines went into their huddle, having positioned themselves right back in the game.
VIDEO: Unbeatens battle
The Green Hope girls basketball team got the better of Wakefield Wednesday night, knocking off the Lady Wolverines 56-46. Story to come later.
Last week, Wakefield sharp shooter Brittany Christian spoke with NorthRaleighSports.com about the 2009-10 Lady Wolverines, playing under Coach Danielle Blackburn and who's the next Wakefield star on the rise.
GALLERY: Lady Wolverines are winners opening night
The Wakefield girls basketball team scored a win opening night, knocking off Clayton 75-58 Nov. 18. For photographs from the game, click on the picture above.
Wakefield senior Kayla Harris (30) dropped 29 points in Wednesday's 75-58 win over Clayton.
Harris, Wakefield clip Comets
Powered by seniors Kayla Harris and Brittany Christian, who scored 29 and 22 points, respectively, as well as a 13-2 first-quarter run, the Wakefield girls basketball team notched a 75-58 victory over visiting Clayton Wednesday night.
While the Lady Wolverines were forced to squash the Comets' third-quarter run, which reduced Wakefield's 20-point halftime lead to just eight points, the squad pulled out a convincing victory on opening night.
Harris, a recent University of South Carolina Aiken commit, provided the Lady Wolverines with consistent offense, scoring six or more points in each of the contest's four quarters. The senior also pulled down 16 rebounds.
"She had a very good stat line," Wakefield head coach Danielle Blackburn said.
With Wakefield girls basketball coach Danielle Blackburn, senior Kayla Harris (left) signed to play basketball at the University of South Carolina Aiken Monday afternoon.
Wakefield's Harris signs with Aiken
Wakefield senior Kayla Harris knew the University of South Carolina Aiken women's basketball program was for her the moment the Pacers coaching staff mapped out their future together.
"They had a plan for me," the Wakefield forward explained. "They told me where they saw me at. I just felt like I was welcome and it made it much easier."
Although Harris' commitment to the Pacers wasn't official until Monday's signing day ceremony in Wakefield High's Media Center, the senior was set on Aiken just days after her August visit to the school's campus.