Eric Vinson | Special to the TimesLowndes center Otaifo Esensbhalu (3) shoots from close range during a game Saturday against Brunswick.

VALDOSTA – Despite holding a four-point lead with about five minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Lowndes Vikettes couldn’t hold on as the Brunswick Lady Pirates pushed past for a narrow 61-57 victory. 

It was a clash between two of the top teams in the state, with maxpreps.com ranking the Lady Pirates as the seventh and the Vikettes at 12 coming into the game. 

The Vikettes took the lead with a big third quarter but managed only five points over the first four and a half minutes of fourth as they watched their lead dwindle. One might take note of the 7-1 foul advantage in favor of the visitors at this point in the game. 

More than the fouls it was the turnovers that hurt the Vikettes. Head coach Antonia Tookes said that was the turning point for her team.

“When we were up, we had three turnovers in a row for no reason,” Tookes said. “That killed the momentum, and it killed us right there.” 

Down at the start of the fourth, the Lady Pirates got into a full court press, and even though the Vikettes usually handle presses well, Tookes said it bothered them Saturday night. 

“A press is tailored to make you go faster, and that’s what we were doing,” Tookes said. “But we should know better, just to relax and work it. 

“If we get into our press breaker, and if we go meet the basketball, be patient with the basketball, we’ll be fine. We just didn’t get into our press breaker. And when we did, we just didn’t run it right.”

One of those turnovers was a botched inbounds that immediately led to a free layup for the Lady Pirates, another time the Vikettes turned it over trying to cross half-court, passing the ball into one another’s feet. 

The Lady Pirates took advantage of the turnovers and their trips to the line to outscore the Vikettes 20-13 in the crucial final quarter.

It was a totally different story in the third quarter however, where the Vikettes came out of the locker room playing some of their best defensive basketball this season. 

They held the Lady Pirates to only eight points by forcing turnovers, scrapping in the paint, and cleaning up every miss. Coach Tookes said despite the loss she’s proud of her team for what they showed her that quarter. 

“At halftime I told them that we were being outworked and outhustled. They are showing that they want it more than you. I said, ‘Show me your heart in the second half,’ and they answered that call. They gave me everything they had. I’m proud of them for that.”

Junior center Otaifo Esenabhalu led that effort with her defense in the middle of the floor, and especially with her rebounding during that stretch. 

“Her confidence is coming back” said Tookes. “She did much better. This was a good game for her and us to get ready for the region tournament week after next.”

Otaifo had to have a great game because the forwards for the Lady Pirates, Shane’ Jackson and Shamya Flanders lit the Vikettes up for 18 points in the first half. 

Otaifo and the Vikettes forwards held Jackson and Flanders to only six points combined in the third, while also cleaning up the boards.

“She’s [Jackson] about five inches taller than all of my players, so my game plan was to be physical with her,” Tookes said. “We weren’t physical with her in the first half, but in the second half, we were physical with her.”

The third quarter was a group scoring effort for the Vikettes, as was the whole game, as four players finished in double figures.

Faith Johnson led the way with 19 points, while Kaci Demps hit some big threes in the fourth quarter on her way to 11 points. Amyah Espanol and Otaifo both added 10. 

“We played with heart,” Tookes said of her girls, despite the loss. “Sometimes it’s who wants it more, and they showed me their heart. They gave me everything they had; we just made some bad decisions in the last three minutes of the game.”

The Vikettes play Colquitt County at home this Thursday, with tip off set for 6 p.m. Then they wrap the regular season up at Valdosta high for the last 2022 basketball Winnersville Classic.