Caleb Gottry attends Chandler Preparatory Academy and is a member of the AIA’s Student SID program.

On Tuesday, November 30th, the Chandler Prep Titans returned to the court for the first varsity girls game of the season and suffered a narrow defeat at the hands of the Lincoln Prep Lightning. With a final score of 42-45, and a first quarter score of only 2-5, it was clear to see that both teams used this game to shake off the rust and prepare for the season ahead. Senior forward Tatum McDonald had this to say after the Titan loss:

“I think we came out a little timid. We didn’t have a scrimmage this year; Trivium had cancelled on us. I think tonight was just getting our first nerves out and just getting on the court for the first time as a new team with new chemistry. I think after that first half we really realized that we were capable of doing this and that’s why, in the second half we came out so much stronger on defense and on offense. I’m super excited for our next game and I think we’re going to do really well this season.”

The game started with back-to-back turnovers, but after Lincoln found success driving to the basket and the Titans found T. McDonald in the paint, the game started to change. With both teams battling turnovers in the first half, the team that fought for the loose ball had the upper hand. Senior Mia Evers and sophomore Jill McDonald both forced several jump balls and J. McDonald led the team in defensive rebounds.

The second half started with back-to-back-to-back baskets, Chandler Prep behind 13-21. More importantly for the Titans, they were able to make stops and snatch steals on defense, stalling the Lightning layup drives. Chandler Prep Head Coach Jeremy LeFebre commented on this change:

“Once we picked up our intensity and focused on the defense instead of the offense and what the refs were calling, it was a different ball game.”

Offensively, the Titans were led by freshman guard Lailani Hall and T. McDonald. When the Titans were able to get the ball to T. McDonald in the paint it was often a basket and she also led the team in offensive rebounds. Hall led the team in scoring, beating the Lincoln Lightning off the dribble on several fast breaks. Hall’s seven steals almost all resulted in a basket, an assist, or two shots from the free-throw line. Hall went 8-10 from the line and scored 16 points for the Titans.

Chandler Prep was forced to foul in the final seconds of the game and despite a baseline cut basket from junior Riley Saldano, the Titans fell three points short of the Lightning, 42-45. Coach LeFebre focuses instead on the Titan culture in this rebuilding year:

“We’re trying to change the culture. We’re trying to show appreciation. That’s why we send them up into the stands to say thank you. I want our culture to be top-notch. You win with culture and you win with chemistry.”

The Chandler Prep varsity girls basketball team plays their next home game against the Mountainside Wolves on December 3rd at 5:30pm. Titan Up.