Lady Patriots win Florida’s Rock Holiday Classic
Published 1:25 pm Thursday, January 3, 2019
- Photo by Nancy Leedy LADY PAT Emma King, pictured in Lincoln’s recent win over South Laurel, was named MVP of the Girls Rock Holiday Classic Tournament in Orlando, Florida.
When the Lincoln County girls basketball team departed Stanford for the Rock Holiday Classic in Orlando, Florida, the Lady Patriots were looking for a repeat run in the post-Christmas tournament.
The last time Lincoln played in the tournament in 2012, the Lady Patriots went undefeated to claim the tourney’s top prize, with Sydney Harris named MVP.
The Lady Patriots delivered with the repeat.
Lincoln came home carrying the champion’s trophy after going 3-0 in the three-day tournament hosted by Windemere Prep Academy Dec. 27-29.
Senior guard Emma King collected the tourney’s top individual award – the Most Valuable Player award. And fellow senior Maddy Boyle was named to the all-tournament team.
The highly-competitive annual tournament featured eight high school girls basketball teams from around the United States. In addition to Lincoln County, the girls teams participating in the tournament were Cincinnati Country Day, Ohio, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, Winter Park, Florida, Notre Dame Academy, Ohio, Mercyhurst Prep, Pennsylvania, Cardinal Newman, South Carolina, and Mill Creek, Georgia.
Lincoln (9-2) scored a decisive win in its first-round game on Thursday, handily defeating Cincinnati Country Day (Ohio) 56-31. The Lady Patriots had even less trouble disposing of their round-two opponent the following day, steamrolling Hilton Head Island (South Carolina) 78-18 to advance to the championship game.
The Lady Patriots looked like they were on their way to another big win in the final, leading by as many as 16 points. But the ladies of Notre Dame Academy (Ohio) would not go down without a fight, rallying late. The rally just fell short, though, as Lincoln pulled out the 63-62 victory for the title.
No game or scoring stats were available from any of the games.
The Lady Patriots returned from Florida Monday and will kick off the new year at home tomorrow night, hosting Danville in a 45th District girls/boys doubleheader. The Lady Pariots’ game with the Lady Admirals is set for a 6 p.m. tipoff, with the Patriots vs. Admirals. to follow at approximately 7:30 p.m.
