Story and photos by
Mike Maddock

Lower Richland’s Dayshaun Richbow (#24) goes for a lay–up over Viking Chauncee Vance. Richbow finished with six points and went four for four from the free–throw line.

The Spring Valley Vikings should feel pretty good about 3/4 of their game with the Lower Richland Diamond Hornets Tuesday night, January 24. The Vikings played toe–to– toe with Lower Richland in the first and third periods and even outscored the Diamond Hornets 19–10 in the final period. But the second period was the Vikings undoing.

Led by Eboni Davis, Stephanie Hayes, Morgan Stroman, and Fannie Goodwin, the Diamond Hornets used a suffocating full court press on defense and some sharp shooting on offense to overwhelm the Vikings outscoring them 21–3 in the second period.

The Diamond Hornets built a 33–15 point lead by half–time and went on to defeat the visiting Vikings 55–42. The win improved Lower Richland’s region record to 4–1 and overall record to 16–3. Spring Valley fell to 2–3 in region play and 14–4 overall.

Lower Richland’s Stephanie Hayes led all scorers with 12 points. Eboni Davis added 10 and Morgan Stroman had eight points. Fannie Goodwin scored seven and Shontavia Bladen, Deanna Yarborough, and Dayshaun Richbow each had six points for the Diamond Hornets.

Morgan Stroman (#32) goes for two of her eight points. Tiffany Gadsden led the Vikings with 11 points and five blocks. Lee Ann Robbins added nine second–half points, Sinqua Alston had eight, and Whitney Wiley finished with six points for Spring Valley.

Lower Richland will travel to Ridge View, and Spring Valley will look to get back on the winning track at home against arch rival Richland Northeast Friday night.

Lower Richland head coach Deborah Stroman has led her Diamond Hornets to a 16–3 record overall and 4–1 in region play. Spring Valley’s Whitney Wiley (#11) drives between Eboni Davis (#3) and Shontavia Bladen (#20) for two of her six points.