by Ryan MacDonald
Staff Writer
Even without a head coach, the Hope International Royals can play with a winning attitude, and on Tuesday night, they demonstrated this ability to compete without leadership, as the Royals handed the University of La Verne’s women basketball team its fifth loss of the season, 75-55.
Lead by guard Jamie Harrison, the Royals began an offensive drive that put them up 62-47 with five minutes to play, and though the Leopards came close several times, they were unable to keep up with the tempo of the second half, when they were outscored 40-24.
Being unable to stop two impressive offensive runs in the second half, the Leopards found themselves 20 points behind at the end of the game.
Beginning the first half strong the Leopards went up 20-12 with 12:15 remaining. The game’s momentum shifted, however, as the Royals went on a 16-0 run that put them up 28-20.
Harrison led her team’s offensive surge with three 3-pointers, as she went on to contribute two more 3-point field goals before the end of the game.
The Leopards battled back, though, from the nine-point deficit, and with only four minutes in the first half, they were able to come within four points of the Royals, 35-31.
The Royals continued to dominate the pace of the game into the second half of the play, as they opened up a nine-point lead with 17:30 remaining.
The Leopards hustled back into the game with strong defense to cut down the lead to four after Sydni Myrick scored two free throws, bringing the score to 47-43.
After being too aggressive with the referees and his players, head coach Lee Green of the Royals was thrown off the court and out of the game after he was called on two back-to-back technical fouls.
With 11:41 left in the second half, the Royals were left without a head coach, while the Leopards’ A.J. Tsapanos made three of the four technical free throws, bringing the Leopards to within one point, 47-46.
Following the ejection of the coach, the Royals offense ignited, and the team slowly began to extend its lead over the Leopards, never allowing them to threaten for the lead again.
One of the most difficult obstacles that the Leopards have had to overcome so far this season is their youth. Two seniors graduated at the end of last year, and one player opted not to return to the team this season.
This season, the Leopards welcome back the majority of last season’s squad, with the addition of three freshmen and three transfers.
Returning sophomore A.J. Tsapanos feels that despite the overall youth of the team, they have what it takes to be a contender for the conference title.
“The personalities on the team are a lot alike,” she said. “We still have a lot to learn, and we’re a young team, but our talents are going to just grow and grow.”
Tsapanos also feels that it is necessary for the team to begin to implement more teamwork. It was this lack of teamwork on Friday that she says resulted in the Leopards’ loss to the Panthers.
“I attribute the loss to the loss of teamwork,” she said. “We haven’t been playing as a team; we’re too individualized.”
Augie Torres, another of the returning sophomores, agrees that the team’s youth is something that the team needs to overcome.
“We have a really young but talented team,” she said. “We just have to bring it together.
“We want to have an impact on conference, but there’s a lot of tough teams in conference. Right now, we’re looking at conference, and maybe going to the playoffs.”
Last Friday, the Leopards faced Chapman University and were victorious, 70-61. On Saturday, they faced Simpson College and easily won, 87-50.
Ryan Mac Donald
