Leyton tops Banner County in MAC opener

DALTON – The Leyton High girls basketball team overcame a slow start in the first period of Tuesday's matchup with Banner County to handily win the game, 47-23.

The Lady Warriors (7-4) played in front of a home crowd, which had packed the Leyton section of the gym.

Head coach Nick Newkirk said his team ran the offense well, pushing the ball up the court and being patient.

"That was our focus [Monday] in practice," he said. "And we did that."

The victory sends the Lady Warriors to the Minuteman Activities Conference Tournament semifinals on Thursday at Sidney Middle School. Tipoff in the Leyton versus Creek Valley (8-5) game is set for 8 p.m.

This will be the Warriors' third trip to the semifinals in three years.

On Tuesday, Leyton scored its first basket halfway through the first period to take a 2-1 lead that was never challenged.

A full court press applied in the fist half frustrated the Lady Wildcats and simultaneously jump started the Warriors' offense.

"Our press gets the girls into the game," Newkirk said. "We just have to find ways to put the ball in the basket."

Leyton shot 30 percent from the floor. Diedra Waite led the team with 18 points and Bailey Miller contributed 11.

Waite said after the slow start, the Lady Warriors knew they had to push the tempo.

"We got in a huddle and we said, 'We know what we need to do – let's do it, let's execute,'" she said. "And once we figured that out, we got our confidence and our motivation, and it just all came together."

By halftime, the Lady Warriors were up 27-9.

"We knew we had to come ready to play," the coach said. "We weren't going to look past anybody."

During a six-minute stretch during the second and third quarters, Banner County (3-11) was scoreless. When the Lady Wildcats did hit a pair of free throws early in the third, Leyton quickly answered, racing down the court for an easy layup.

With only one practice before the semifinals, Newkirk said the team's mantra is "advance and move on."

Waite said the Banner County victory gives the team momentum.

"Just getting the win put confidence under our belt to go into the next game on fire, knowing what we have to do and getting it done," she said.

Wednesday's practice will help the team prepare for Creek Valley, she added.

"We want to work hard in our next practice so we can go into the game feeling ready, feeling calm," Waite added. "We don't want to go in to the game feeling nervous. We want to be fierce and for them to know that we're here to take this."