Easley High School’s Kimbel Leach (No. 11) hits a long 3-pointer from NBA range last week at Daniel High School.
Jeff Holt | The Easley Progress
DANVILLE – You can bet that Abbi Vite wasn’t on too many scouting reports before last Friday night’s game at Daniel High School.
Vite, a low-post player for Easley, came off the bench for a team-high 12 points in a 60-46 loss to host DHS.
Vite’s putback gave Easley an early 7-6 lead in the first quarter.
A minute later, Vite answered with a 5-foot baseline jumper for a 9-6 Green Wave lead.
“Abbi has really, really impressed me,” said Easley Coach Ivan Raymond. “She plays with such a calm demeanor and does not get overwhelmed with anything. It’s my fault that she has not played more than she has. Going forward and figuring out what we want to do, she has to be a big part of that. She is playing very consistent and I tell them all the time that when the clock strikes 6 (p.m.), we have to go with who is ready.”
Janiyah Wilson also hit the double-figure mark for Easley with 11 points.
For Daniel, Siena McIntyre led the way with 16 points and Collen DiMaio added 13.
“They believe and they trust one another,” said Lions coach Cosandra Wilson-Griffin. “The girls want to win and they have confidence. Today after school – usually my team sits up in the bleachers – this team put up the shooting machine and started shooting.”
As far as McIntyre, Coach Wilson-Griffin added, “It’s amazing to see the game she had with the adversity. She just lost her grandmother.”
In the boys action, Daniel jumped out to an early 13-2 lead and held onto a 66-59 win over Easley.
“We’ve got to get a better start,” said Easley junior Ethan Crews, after leading the Green Wave with 22 points. “If we eliminate the start, we win the game.”
Freshman guard Drey Jackson added 12 points for the Green Wave.
Easley rallied to within 15-13 on a 3 from Cruise with 7 minutes left before halftime. Crews followed with a 10-foot baseline jumper in the third quarter to pull within one at 43-42 and then the Green Wave tied it up at 44 with 6:20 left in the third quarter.
“We just have to scratch, claw and fight,” said Easley coach Derrell Jackson. “It’s some tough lessons. We just have to remain positive and know that better days are coming. We just have to put it together for a longer stretch. It’s tough for a young group, but I told them it will prepare us later for region play and – when we get to the playoffs -= we’ll be ready to play.”
Will Swan hit several big buckets for Daniel and finished with a team-high 21 points. and Erik Lipsey used his athleticism to add 13 points.
Added DHS coach Ben Touchberry, whose team improved to 2-1, “I just thought it was a good team effort overall. I love the way the guys play. They play for each other. They bond with each other and they do stuff outside the program. I think that’s a testament to pulling out close victories like tonight.”
Reach Jeff Holt at 864-855-0355.