Eagles girls' basketball advances to second round
Mackenzie Davis understands that she should keep shooting. Especially when the shots aren’t falling.
Her coach, Katherine Johnston, tells the Rocky Mount Academy freshman to not be discouraged when the points aren’t flowing. Because when Davis does find the bottom of the net, the Eagles are in good shape.
The Eagles were in good shape before lone on Tuesday in the opening round of the NCISAA 2-A state playoffs. Davis started slow before finding her range in a second quarter that gave RMA a lead it wouldn’t give back in a 52-36 home win over Harrells Christian Academy.
“It was kind of rough in the first quarter, but I caught it eventually,” Davis said of her shooting. “My coach kept telling me to shoot and I had to work at it. But when they went in I was like, ‘I got it now.’”
Davis didn’t score in the first quarter, but kept at it and used a smooth jumper to drain shot after shot in the second quarter. It was in the second frame where she scored 14 of her game-high 16 points in helping RMA to the opening-round win.
“She’s a really good, athletic, instinctual basketball player. It seems to come easy,” Johnston said. “She is able to analyze her own shot, and fix what’s not working to make it work. She just has a natural jump shot. You don’t see a lot of girls with natural, untrained jump shots. I want her to shoot the ball.”
Davis led all scorers with 16 points, while senior teammate Deborah Hall Kitchin added 14. Also in double figures for RMA (20-5) was sophomore Mary Hanna Bryant who scored 10. Madie Jenkins finished with six points, with Law Kitchin scoring four and Jamya McKnight scoring two.
The victory advanced the Eagles to Thursday’s second round where they will play fifth-seeded Raleigh Trinity Academy (13-8), which had a first-round bye.
Mackenzie Davis understands that she should keep shooting. Especially when the shots aren’t falling.
Her coach, Katherine Johnston, tells the Rocky Mount Academy freshman to not be discouraged when the points aren’t flowing. Because when Davis does find the bottom of the net, the Eagles are in good shape.
The Eagles were in good shape before lone on Tuesday in the opening round of the NCISAA 2-A state playoffs. Davis started slow before finding her range in a second quarter that gave RMA a lead it wouldn’t give back in a 52-36 home win over Harrells Christian Academy.
“It was kind of rough in the first quarter, but I caught it eventually,” Davis said of her shooting. “My coach kept telling me to shoot and I had to work at it. But when they went in I was like, ‘I got it now.’”
Davis didn’t score in the first quarter, but kept at it and used a smooth jumper to drain shot after shot in the second quarter. It was in the second frame where she scored 14 of her game-high 16 points in helping RMA to the opening-round win.
“She’s a really good, athletic, instinctual basketball player. It seems to come easy,” Johnston said. “She is able to analyze her own shot, and fix what’s not working to make it work. She just has a natural jump shot. You don’t see a lot of girls with natural, untrained jump shots. I want her to shoot the ball.”
Davis led all scorers with 16 points, while senior teammate Deborah Hall Kitchin added 14. Also in double figures for RMA (20-5) was sophomore Mary Hanna Bryant who scored 10. Madie Jenkins finished with six points, with Law Kitchin scoring four and Jamya McKnight scoring two.
The victory advanced the Eagles to Thursday’s second round where they will play fifth-seeded Raleigh Trinity Academy (13-8), which had a first-round bye.
