STATE EXTRA: SACCO: A bad start became a great finish

HARRISONBURG
With 22.1 seconds left, the Lee Ladies had the ball, and the game, well in hand.

Two great things that always seem to go great together.

And the blue-laden R.E. Lee crowd took to its feet, clapping, screaming, holding out their hands in an impossible attempt to hug the girls on the court.

And there was Jeremy Hartman still trolling the sidelines. Taking a second or two to clap his hands, pump his fist (just once) and a quick smile. (We stress a quick one.)

The Lee Ladies are heading back to the Group AA, Division 3 Final Four. A trip they haven’t made since 2002.

So excuse them if they smile a bit. Excuse these youngsters if they let out a little squeal. But, keep in mind — it comes from behind a closed locker room door. Never on the court. Never in front of people not in the family.

And, just think, it didn’t start off so good.

It never does when you’re sending a group of freshmen, sophomores and juniors out onto the squeaky clean Convocation Center floor. It takes time, they’ll tell you.

The nerves must go, the groove must kick in. Once you realize that its all the same and the term “sightline” is about as overrated as a Maroon 5 album, it soon becomes all good in the hood.

And, for the first few minutes against Graham the Lee Ladies looked nervous. Jamila Thomas chucked up an air ball to open it up. Angela Mickens gets called for a walk and follows that up by missing a shot.

Finally, one of the vets steps in. A fair-haired junior joins the party and has to tell the kiddies to take the proverbial chill pill — it’s time to rock and roll.

That job fell on the shoulders of junior Kathleen Thompson. The guard didn’t disappoint – hitting the Lee Ladies’ first bucket – and soothed the collective nerves of Staunton.

“That was huge and would expect that from one of my young ladies who’s a junior,” said coach Jeremy Hartman. “She’s a warrior.”

And, make no doubt about it, songs of Mickens’ performance Friday against Graham will echo between Betsy Bell and Mary Gray for years to come.

But thanks to Thompson, the Lee Ladies found their groove.

“I was ready to start,” Thompson said. “Open shot? I was going to take it.”

She would hit two more before the end of the first quarter to finish with six points. They’ll no doubt get lost in the legend Mickens made for herself on the Convo floor.

And they’ll always remember, win or lose Tuesday, this day. When everything came together.

When Mickens outscored the entire Graham roster.

When Hartman pumped his fist.

When Daquaa Scott owned – and we mean owned – the paint.

When you reached out to hug them on the court, Hartman pumped his fist and the Lee Ladies returned to the Group AA Final Four.

The day when, a team full of underclassmen needed their nerves calmed.

The day Thompson set the table and the rest of the Lee Ladies joined for the meal.

They’re a hungry bunch and they’re hungry for more.