LYNN — The Lynn English girls basketball team fell short of a comeback against Everett Tuesday night. The host Bulldogs trailed by 10 entering the fourth quarter before cutting the lead to just two points, but, ultimately, couldn’t mount a comeback in a 48-41 final.
Trailing in the fourth, the Bulldogs continued to fight back and slowly chip away at the lead. A Jayleen Novas (8 points) step-back three followed by a Saniya Patton (5) layup got the game to within two (41-29) with less than three minutes to play.
Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, they went into a scoring drought and Everett capitalized with timely baskets, hitting late free throws to close the game on a 7-2 run.
“I think the girls did a really good job of fighting back in the end. I think we lost by 19 to them earlier in the season,” said first-year coach Sydney Brennan. “One thing that I told the girls this season is I want to see improvement. It stinks to lose, but to see that we improved was nice to show the girls… It just shows them that the work they put in during practice is showing.”
As for the fourth quarter setback, Brennan said, “It stinks to have a couple of missed shots, but I can tell they want to win.”
“We just need to find a way to put it all together and score a couple more points in the end,” she said.
One Bulldog who consistently made plays was sophomore Amara Flores (13 points). Whenever Flores got the ball, she looked to attack the rim to either score or create – something that caught the eye of her head coach.
“Driving to the hoop strong hasn’t been something we have done a lot this season. We have been working on it a lot in practice – just going in and not being afraid,” Brennan said. “The girls, particularly Amara, have the physicality to drive to the hoop strong. We were lucky that we were getting to the hoop and getting the foul calls. I tell the girls that if they’re not driving strong, then they won’t get the foul call, but they got them tonight.”
Senior forward Jaeleigh Perry (10 points) was a beneficiary of the Bulldogs’ attacking ability and buried some corner jumpers. Her first basket came in the first quarter when an attacking Flores found Perry in the short corner who knocked down the shot.
But Perry showed her range the entire night, connecting on a corner-three in the third.
In addition to Perry, Brennan was happy with her guards and their ability to apply pressure in the defensive backcourt.
“Jayleen (Novas), Teanna (Nguon), and Dayana (Hios), our guards at the top, we rely on them to pressure the guards a lot, especially in our press,” Brennan said. “They’re exhausted at the end of the game because I keep telling them to go as hard as possible without fouling. Jayleen, especially tonight, did well.”
Despite the loss, the future looks bright as this young Bulldogs team consists of two seniors, three juniors, and seven sophomores.
The Bulldogs look to get back to winning ways Thursday when they host Lynn Classical at 5:30 p.m.
