Stoirm vs. Trinity of Durham/Chapel Hill

New Life Storm 54 Trinity Lions 57

The Storm dropped a close game on the road against the Lions of Trinity School in Durham. After a two-week layoff from games, the Storm go off to a sluggish start in the game. They got down 8-2 and Trinity held the lead for the entire first half. NLC played a strong third quarter and led by as many as 6 points, but a buzzer-beater at the end of the period cut the lead to 2. The Storm fell behind again early in the 4th quarter but battled back and got some run-outs off long passes to retake the lead. The game was back and forth down the stretch until, with the Storm ahead 49-48, Trinity shot a 3-pointer that hit the rim, bounced high in the air, and then bounced in for a 51-49 Lions lead. The Storm fought hard to the end, but was never able to tie or retake the lead again. For the game Hannah had 13 points, followed by Mary with 12, and Leigh was strong on the boards with 18 rebounds. Shelby also posted her third double-double of the season with 10 points and 16 rebounds.

Storm vs. East Wake

New Life Storm 46 East Wake Academy Eagles 42

The NLC Storm staged a 4th quarter comeback to pull out a victory at home against the Eagles of East Wake Academy. The Storm trailed for the entire game, and were down by 10 points in the 4th quarter when the team came alive. A full court press led to turnovers, and the Storm used runouts and long passes to get some easy baskets to cut into the lead. Ele'Jah tied the score on a follow shot, then Shelby scored in the lane to put the Storm up 44-42 with just over a minute to play. After a defensive stop of East Wake, Hannah was fouled and hit both free throws to make it a 2-possession game at the end. Emily was high scorer for the Storm with 15 points, Shelby had 13 rebounds, and Ele'Jah had 5 steals.

Storm vs. Cary Christian

New Life Storm 36 Cary Christian JV Knights 18

The New Life Storm jumped out to an early lead and won a convincing victory over the Knights of Cary Christian. The Storm put 18 points on the board in the 1st quarter, their second-highest scoring quarter of the season, and then held the Knights scoreless in the 2nd quarter to hold a commanding 24-8 halftime advantage before cruising on to the win. The Storm defense grabbed 18 steals, with Emily and Mary leading the way with 4 each. Shelby led the team in scoring and rebounding with 16 points and 8 boards.

Storm vs. Norlina Christian

NLC Storm 41 Norlina Christian Academy Crusaders 14

The New Life Storm got their second blowout win in a row on the road at Norlina Christian. The Storm overwhelmed the Crusaders with defensive pressure from the beginning. Hannah and Ele'Jah trapped the Norlina ballhandlers out to midcourt, resulting in several early steals and preventing Norlina from getting into any kind of halfcourt offense at all. The Storm reeled off the first 12 points of the game. By halftime the lead was 24-5. The lead increased to 30 points in the second half. Shelby, Hannah, and Ele'Jah were rested most of the 4th quarter as the younger players got some good experience. Shelby led the Storm with 14 points and 9 rebounds. Hannah had her 3rd straight double-figure scoring game with 11 points, to go along with 5 steals and 8 deflections. Ele'Jah also had 5 steals and Leigh led in assists with 3.

Sanford Shootout

NLC Storm 34 Franklin Academy Patriots 64

In the opening game of the Sanford Shootout, the New Life Storm faced a Franklin Academy team which entered the game undefeated, having won all of their previous games by more than 30 points. The Storm hung tough in the first quarter, trailing by only 2 points at the end of the period. In the second period, the Patriots exploded for 27 points and went into halftime with a 40-19 lead. NLC played the Patriots closer in the second half, but couldn't narrow the gap. Turnovers were again a problem, and led to Franklin getting off nearly twice as many shot attempts. Hannah led the Storm with 12 points (including 3 three-pointers) while Shelby led in rebounds and assists with 11 and 3.

NLC Storm 59 O'Neal School Falcons 34

The Storm bounced back the next morning with a convincing win in the consolation game against the O'Neal School from Southern Pines. NLC jumped out to a 16-3 first quarter lead and never looked back. The lead continued to grow and reached 53-19 at the end of the 3rd quarter. The Storm passed the ball well, with 19 assists (6 girls had 2 or more assists) and a season-low 12 turnovers. Hannah again led the scoring with 16 points and Leigh had 10 rebounds, while Shelby chipped in 13 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists. Hannah was named to the all-tournament team.

Storm vs. Cary Christian

NLC Storm 36 Cary Christian Knights 34

The New Life Storm overcame a sluggish start and pulled out a close comeback victory at home against the Knights of Cary Christian School. Coming off a hard-fought win in their previous game, the Storm came out flat, scoring only 2 points in the first quarter and trailing 20-12 at halftime. They responded with better play in the second half, and with the score tied late in the game Shelby Suffridge stepped to the line twice and hit 2 of 4 free throws to put the Storm ahead by 2. Shelby then blocked a shot on the Knights' final possession to preserve the win. Shelby led the team with 13 points and 12 rebounds, while Ele'Jah Carter had 3 assists and 5 steals.

Storm vs. Neuse Christian

NLC Storm 51 Neuse Christian Lions 46

In the first girls varsity game played in the new NLC Activities Center, the New Life Storm defated the Lions of Neuse Christian Academy. The Storm girls showed marked improvement from the previous weekend both offensively and defensively, and outrebounded the Lions 50-24. They looked to push the ball upcourt at every opportunity and scored quite a few points in transition. The second period was key - NLC held Neuse to only 3 points in the quarter and stretched a 1-point lead out to 9 points at the half. Mary Williams had 11 first-half points (including a perfect 7-7 at the FT line). Sarah Suffridge provided a spark off the bench, scoring 5 points, playing tough defense, and making numerous hustle plays. The Storm frustrated high-scoring Neuse guard Katelyn Donta with their defense - Mary shadowed her all over the court, and the rest of the team was constantly there to help or double-team. In the second half, the Storm remained in control of the game, taking their largest lead at 47-36 midway through the 4th quarter. The Lions mounted a comeback, aided by some Storm turnovers and rushed shots, and scored 10 unanswered points to cut the lead to 1. The girls who have been there before stepped up for the Storm down the stretch. Hannah Carlson began bringing the ball upcourt against the press and settled the offense down. She found Shelby Suffridge inside for a baby hook to push the lead back to 3. After Neuse failed to score, Shelby was fouled and drained both FT's to put the margin back to 5 and put the game away. For the game, Mary led the Storm in scoring with 16 points, while Shelby had 15 points and 12 rebounds. Sarah also had double figures in rebounds with 11 boards and Emily Stone led in assists with 5.

NCHEAC Preseason Tip-Off

The Storm girls got their first game action of the season - and for several of the players their first ever taste of varsity action - when they played in the Preseason Tip-Off tournament put on by the NCHEAC conference in Greensboro.

The season kicked off Friday morning as the Storm took on the Forsyth Hawks in the first ever meeting between these two programs. NLC hung close for the first half, trailing 13-10 after one quarter and down by 8 at the half, but early in the second half Shelby Suffridge went down with an ankle injury and was out for the rest of the game. With the Storm missing its most experienced player, the Hawks grabbed a double-digit lead and began to pull away. A high-scoring 4th quarter saw the Storm pour in 18 points in an attempt to come back, but Forsyth countered with 20 and won by a final score of 56-40. Hannah Carlson led the team in scoring with 13 points, Emily Stone grabbed 8 rebounds, and Shelby dished out 3 assists. A bright spot for the Storm was Katie Patrick, who came off the bench to score her first 6 points as a varsity player.

Friday afternoon, playing on a short rest, the Storm took on the Lowcountry Lady Wildcats of Charleston, SC. The Wildcats were led by 6'0" UNC-Asheville recruit Jeanine Buckner, who scored 23 points. With Shelby playing limited minutes and the team shooting only 14% against a very solid team, the Storm dropped this one by a score of 48-18. Emily Stone and Mary Williams led the team with 5 points each and Mary also pulled down 7 rebounds. A bright spot noted by the coaches after this game was the defensive play of Courtney Brodie and Sarah Suffridge off the bench.

On Saturday, the Storm played their final game of the weekend against the Upstate Eagles of Spartanburg, SC. The Storm pushed the ball well up the court at the start, getting 3 fast-break baskets early, and led 8-6 six minutes into the game. The Eagles closed the quarter with a 10-0 run, though, to take the lead. With a 10-point lead at the half, the Eagles pulled away in the 3rd quarter, forcing turnovers with their press and turning them into points and wearing down the Storm with their physicality. The final score was 60-31, with the Storm committing 32 turnovers. NLC was led by Hannah and Mary with 8 points each, and Shelby with 8 rebounds and 4 steals.

Hannah Carlson was named to the All-Tournament team. Overall, the tournament was a good learning experience and there were glimpses of the potential that this team has as they start their way working to get back to the top again. Most important of all, the Storm girls demonstrated great sportsmanship through adversity, showing that with all the changes in the program one thing remains constant - the primary goal is to be a team that shines the light of Jesus in all that they do.

Season 5 - Storm 2.0

Four years ago, four freshmen homeschooled girls were part of a brand-new varsity girls basketball team at New Life Camp called the Storm. A year later, they were joined by three 7th graders, and together those 7 girls formed the core of a team that grew over the next 3 years into a championship team. Last year as seniors and freshmen, this group, with senior transfer Arianna Dinglasan as the final piece of the puzzle, posted a 20-4 record and captured the East Coast Homeschool Championship at the HSPN tournament in Virginia.

This year marks a new beginning. Only sophomores Shelby Suffridge and Hannah Carlson remain from last year's team. They are joined by freshmen Emily Stone and Tamara Johnson, and 8th graders Katie Patrick, Sarah Suffridge, and Sarah Munroe, who move up from the Middle School Storm. Junior Mary Williams rejoins the team after 2 years away, and the Storm program welcomes newcomers Ele'Jah Carter, Leigh Hales, and Courtney Brodie.

The new Storm team is young but has a lot of potential and is ready to start making its mark as the new season begins at the NCHEAC Preseason Tip-Off Tournament in Greensboro on Nov. 5th and 6th.

HSPN 3-point Contest

Congratulations to Hannah Carlson for winning the 15-and-under girls 3-point contest for the 2nd year in a row! Also, assistant coach Andrew Miller came in 2nd in the adult 3-point contest.

HSPN East Coast CHAMPIONS!!!

NLC Storm wins HSPN championship in OT

The New Life Storm faced a familiar foe in the 4A bracket championship game. Playing in a tournament with 16 teams from 5 different states, the team standing in the way of the title was the team from our own backyard, the Lighthouse Eagles. The teams had played 4 previous times - twice during the regular season, for the East Region Championship, and in the State Consolation game - with the Storm winning all four times. This time both teams had key differences. Arianna was able to play for the Storm after being ineligible for the previous games due to conference transfer rules. The Woods twins were a late-season addition to the Lighthouse team after playing much of the season for the Middle Creek High School varsity. The venue this time was the 9000-seat Vines Center, home of the NCAA Division 1 Liberty Univ. Flames.

The game began with both teams shooting the ball well. The Storm showed very good patience and decision-making against the Lighthouse zone defense, working the ball around the perimeter and waiting for a good shot. Rebecca, Hannah Grace, and Shelby all drained 3-pointers and Daryl and Anna found seems in the middle of the zone to score. Lighthouse was not able to get the ball inside against the Storm zone and after hitting several 3's early they went cold from the outside. The Storm also did a good job rebounding against the taller Eagles to prevent 2nd shot opportunities. By halftime the Storm had pulled ahead by 10 points. Lighthouse began the 2nd half in a pressure man-to-man defense and forced the Storm into some quick turnovers and sliced into the lead. NLC steadied themselves and did a good job spreading the floor and driving for scores or dishing off for a layup. At the end of the 3rd quarter the lead was still 8 points. In the 4th quarter Lighthouse increased the pressure again, pressing full court and playing much more physical defense. They began pushing the ball inside and scoring on almost every possession. By midway through the 4th quarter, Lighthouse had closed the gap. The Storm girls were tough with the ball and began drawing fouls against the physical Eagles. NLC hit 8 FT's in a row to match Lighthouse baskets. With the Storm up by 2 and the final seconds ticking down, Lighthouse missed a shot but scored on a put-back with 4 seconds left to tie the game.

Overtime again - for the 3rd night in a row! Down by 1 point Hannah Grace drove through 3 defenders for a layup to put the Storm back in front. On defense they double-teamed inside to prevent Lighthouse scores. Anna came up with huge rebounds on the last two Lighthouse possessions and grabbed a crucial loose ball to prevent a turnover. When a desparation heave by Lighthouse from beyond halfcourt missed, the Storm had done it - they were the overall champions of the tournament! Once again, in a tight, down to the wire game, each of the Storm girls made the plays they had to make down the stretch and came through in the clutch. What a performance and a great way to end the season!

Daryl was named MVP of the tournament and Hannah Grace was named to the all-tournament team.

HSPN 4A Semi-Finals

NLC Storm 63 Surry Runnin' Patriots 60

The New Life Storm avenged two regular season losses with a win over the state champion Surry Runnin' Patriots, and in the process earned a spot in the championship game of the HSPN tournament. It wasn't easy - for the second night in a row they had to go to overtime for the win. As they had in each of the previous two meetings with Surry, the Storm again led at halftime - this time 26-19. Hannah Grace had a big first half, scoring on drives to the basket and jumpers from the wing. Unlike the first two meetings, the Storm came out strong in the second half as well. Executing very well in the halfcourt offense, they repeatedly pushed the ball inside to Anna and Daryl, who finished well. NLC built the lead as high as 16 points and led 43-29 at the end of the 3rd quarter. Midway through the 4th quarter the Storm still led by double-figures, but Surry made a run. They forced some turnovers with their press, which the Storm had handled well the rest of the game, and they finally tied the game at 52-52 with under 2 seconds left. In the overtime, Rebecca hit a 3-pointer on the first possession, but Surry continued to respond. The teams traded baskets and the lead until Hannah Grace hit two FT to give the Storm a 61-60 lead with less than 30 seconds to play. After a big defensive stop, the Storm was able to take the clock down under 2 seconds before Hannah Grace was again fouled. She again hit both FT's and a Surry desparation heave from the backcourt was off the mark.

Rebecca, Daryl, Anna, and Hannah Grace each played all 36 minutes of the game. Hannah Grace led the team in scoring with 17 points, while Daryl had 15 points and 12 rebounds and Anna had 13 points and 11 boards, and Rebecca had 5 assists.

In the tournament championship game tomorrow, the Storm will face the Lighthouse Eagles for the 5th time this season.

HSPN Pool Play - Round 3

NLC Storm 66 Bristol (TN) Lady Titans 33

After a sluggish start, the Storm exploded for a 29-point 3rd quarter to blown open a close game and win easily, to finish 3-0 in pool play. Leading 27-19 at the half, Rebecca opened the second half with back-to-back 3-pointers followed by 2 run-out baskets each for Hannah Grace and Anna to push the lead to 20 and the Storm were never threatened again. Hannah Grace led the scoring for the Storm with 21 points, Rebecca had 14, and Shelby had a double-double with 10 points and 11 boards.

The Storm finish pool play as the overall #4 seed. They take on Surry in the 4A bracket semi-finals at 8:30 tonight.

HSPN Pool Play - Round 2 - Double OT

NLC Storm 61 Upstate (SC) Eagles 57

The New Life Storm survived a double-overtime thriller against the Upstate Eagles of Spartanburg, SC, coming from behind in the last minute of regulation and the first overtime to remain unbeaten in pool play at the HSPN Tournament. The game was tight the entire way, with no team leading by more than 6 points. Every time the Storm would make a mini-run to take the lead, the Eagles would answer, and vice versa. In the last minute of regulation, the Storm found themselves down by 4 points. Anna scored on a putback, then with the press on Daryl knocked the ball away off the Eagles out of bounds to give the ball back to the Storm. Hannah Grace scored on a putback to tie the game with 21 seconds left and the Storm was able to get a stop on the last possession to force overtime. In the first OT, again the Storm found themselves down by 4 in the last minute, but again was able tie the score with some clutch baskets and defense. In the second overtime the lead went back and forth until Shelby drove from the wing and scored with 2 minutes left to put NLC up 58-57. After this, the Storm came up with defensive stops, ran their delay offense well to take time off the clock, and hit FTs to provide the final margin. Hannah Grace and Anna led the way in scoring for the Storm with 19 and 18 points, respectively. Daryl and Anna pulled down 12 and 11 rebounds, while Rebecca had 4 assists.

HSPN Pool Play - Round 1

NLC Storm 47 Front Royal (VA) Flames 13

The 2010 HSPN East Coast Championship Tournament us underway and the Storm started out strong with a dominating win over the Flames of Front Royal, VA. The Storm started the game with great intensity on both ends of the floor. The Flames got only one shot off (an airball) on their first 7 possessions of the game and NLC stormed out to a 13-0 lead 5 minutes into the game. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Hannah Grace at the beginning of the second quarter extended the lead, which continued to climb over the rest of the game. Late in the 4th quarter Emily Stone, called up from the middle school Storm team to play with the varsity in the tournament, grabbed a steal at midcourt and drove for a layup for her for first varsity points. Hannah and Anna led the team in scoring with 11 points, and Hannah Grace had 10, while Arianna led with 9 rebounds.

State Consolation Game - Storm vs. Lighthouse

NLC Storm 46 Lighthouse Eagles 33

Shaking off the disappointment of the previous night's semi-final loss, the Storm took 3rd place in the NCHE Athletic Conference for the second year in a row by beating the Lighthouse Eagles in Greensboro. After a slow start by both teams, the Storm held the lead for most of the first quarter. A burst of 6 straight points in the first minute of the 2nd quarter put the Eagles in front, but the Storm did not get rattled. With a balanced attack that had scoring from several girls, they battled back to take a 26-20 lead at halftime. The 3rd quarter saw the Storm stretch the lead to double-figures and hold it there, but in the 4th quarter the Eagles sliced the deficit to 5 points. It would get no closer as again the Storm responded to the Lighthouse run and closed the game out well. This marks the 4th win of the season against Lighthouse, and the 7th in the last 8 meetings between the two teams. Hannah Grace fought off her ankle injury from the previous night's game to lead to the team with 12 points, wihle Anna pulled down 8 rebounds and Rebecca had 4 assists.

Storm vs. Cabarrus - State Semi-Finals

Greater Cabarrus Stallions 44 NLC Storm 35

(Storm Blog thanks Laura for this game report)
The top seed in the eastern half of the NCHEAC conference, the New Life Storm battled the second seeded Greater Cabarrus Stallions of the west in their first game of the NCHEAC State Tournament. The Stallions pulled out with a 6-0 lead to start the game as the Storm struggled to find their defensive intensity. As the Storm settled in and found some speed to their offensive plays, they played most of the first half neck and neck with the Stallions. Hannah Grace had some nice back door drives, and the Storm maintained their ever-present sportsmanship and composure as they were held and pushed from all sides. Unfortunately, with less than 2 minutes in the half, Cabarrus went on a huge run to bring the half time score to 24-17. The Storm started the second half with a hunger to win the game, but it seemed that everything was against them. Hannah Grace, the Storm’s leading scorer of the night, sprained her ankle just at the start of the half and saw no more court time for the remainder of the game. The Storm fought and fought, refusing to go down without giving their all. Rebecca lured Cabarrus ball-handlers into great half-court traps. Hannah produced quality minutes off the bench to keep the Storm’s score close. Even in the final minutes of the game, the Storm did not give up. With both Rebecca and Anna fouled out of the game and Hannah Grace unable to play, the Storm’s remaining five players played out of their primary positions and battled the Stallions, grabbing pivotal steals to hold the game within reach. A few Cabarrus free throws in the last minute clinched the game for the Stallions.

Playing a great mental game, Courtney snatched 7 steals from Cabarrus. Anna pulled down 9 rebounds, and Hannah Grace led in scoring with 9 points.

NCHEAC East Regionals

NLC Storm 46 Lighthouse Eagles 35

The New Life Storm captured the East Regional Championship of the NCHE Athletic Confrence with a victory over the Lighthouse Eagles. The Storm surged out to a 12-4 lead in the first quarter, sparked by Courtney coming off the bench to hit a 3 and two FT. The lead extended to double-figures in the second quarter as the Storm were effective at neutralizing the Eagles' height advantage and at halftime the score stood at 28-16. In the third quarter, NLC hit a bit of an offensive lull as the Eagles changed defenses, and what had been a 15 point lead was cut to 8. However, the Storm put the game away as Courtney scored on a backdoor cut, Hannah hit a tough shot from the baseline, and Hannah Grace nailed a 3-pointer. For the game, Hannah Grace led the Storm with 18 points, while Shelby and Daryl each grabbed 6 rebounds and Rececca had 3 assists.

Rebecca, Courtney, and Hannah Grace made the all-tournament team for the Storm. The team now goes to the state semi-finals in Greensboro next weekend and will face the Cabarrus Stallions.

Storm vs. Franklin Academy

Franklin Academy Patriots 52 NLC Storm 46 (OT)

(Thanks to Laura for the game report)
The New Life Storm suffered their third loss of the season to the Patriots of Franklin Academy in this season's final, regular season game. After a slow start that left the Storm trailing 9-5 at the end of the first quarter, the Storm picked up their defensive intensity as the second quarter progressed. Good defense forced 7 Patriots turnovers in the second quarter and shook the confidence of Franklin Academy as the game broke for half time with the Patriots leading by 3, 19-16. The Storm picked back up in the second half with the same defensive intensity and started the third quarter on a 10-1 run. The quarter ended with one team up by 3, but this time it was the Storm in front, 28-25. The Storm maintained a steady 6 point lead throughout the first half of the fourth quarter, but, beginning at the 4 minute mark, Franklin Academy began to slowly chip away at the Storm's leading margin. With Franklin Academy time outs after each made shot that closed the gap, momentum began to swing toward the home team Patriots. A series of poor defensive sets by the Storm allowed the Patriots to take the lead. Shelby hit 2 clutch free throws to put the Storm back within 1, and Hannah Grace hit the first of 2 free throws to tie the game at 40. With only a few seconds left, the game went into overtime. The Franklin Academy momentum that flourished in the last 4 minutes of the fourth quarter was just as present in overtime and propelled the Patriots to outscore the Storm 12-6 in the extra 4 minutes of play. This was a key game for this season's New Life Storm as it pointed out areas of weakness in their mental game and their decision-making under pressure just in time to address those issues before post-season play.

Hannah Grace lead the team in scoring with 17 points, and Daryl pulled down 10 rebounds in the Storm's effort against Franklin Academy.

Senior Night - Storm vs. Surry

Surry Runnin' Patriots 45 NLC Storm 38

For the second time this season, the New Life Storm led the Surry Runnin Patriots for a half before Surry stepped up to take control of the game in the second half and came away with the win. NLC dominated the early part of the game. They came out with a lot of intensity, forcing Surry turnovers and controlling the defensive boards to limit Surry to one shot. New Life led 13-3 after one quarter and eventually pulled out to a 12-point lead at 17-5. Then the Storm hit a lull, allowing Surry to recover and get their feet under them. The Storm didn't score during the last half of the 2nd quarter, but Surry ran off the last 7 points of the half to cut the halftime lead to 17-12 and give them the momentum heading into the break. The Runnin' Patriots grabbed the lead in the 3rd quarter, outscoring the Storm 19-6. Though the Storm fought hard to the end, they were unable to stop Surry and the defending state champions took the game. Hannah Grace and Anna led the way for the Storm with 13 and 11 points respectively, and Anna also pulled down 8 rebounds.

This was the last home game for Rebecca, Arianna, Daryl, Anna, and Courtney, and the 5 seniors were honored in a ceremony at halftime. They are a special group of young women and we wish them God's blessings as they prepare to move on to life after high school!

Storm vs. Christian Faith

NLC Storm 67 Christian Faith Center Conquerors 59

After a two week layoff due to weather and cancellations, the New Life Storm returned to action with an 8-point win over Christian Faith Center Academy in Creedmoor. As is usually the case when the Storm plays the Conquerors, the game was fast-paced, physical, had lots of lead changes, and the outcome was in doubt until the final minute, but despite 37 points by CFC's Stacie Tuset the Storm came away with their 4th consecutive win over CFC. After falling behind by 5 points early, the Storm stormed back. They played with intensity and pushed the tempo at every opportunity. Both teams went to the foul line a lot in the first half, and Tuset scored quite a few of her points at the stripe. New Life led 33-30 at the half, but missed an opportunity for a bigger lead with a low FT percentage. In the second half, the Storm began with Anna, Arianna, and the three freshmen, and showed some great offensive execution to push out to a 7-point lead. CFC quickly came back to tighten things up again. Rebecca hit a 3-pointer to start the fourth quarter and push the Storm lead back to five, but again the Conquerors answered, scoring the next 6 points to retake the lead. Fast break baskets by Hannah Grace, Daryl, and Hannah Grace again put the Storm back in front to stay. Fatigue and a late switch to a zone-and-chaser defense kept CFC from scoring down the stretch and the Storm made their FTs to put the game away. Hannah Grace led NLC with 24 points and 8 rebounds, while Arianna had 16 points, Anna grabbed 8 rebonds, and Rebecca dished out a season-high 8 assists.

Storm vs. Trinity cancelled

The game between Storm and Trinity scheduled for Feb 5 was cancelled to allow Trinity to make up a conference game postponed by the weather.

Storm vs. NRCA cancelled

The game scheduled for tonight (Feb 2) against North Raleigh Christian Academy has been cancelled due to weather/road conditions. The game will not be rescheduled.

Storm vs. Kestrel

NLC Storm 57 Kestrel Heights Hawks 29

The Storm ran their record to 12-1 with a win over the Hawks of Kestrel Heights School in Durham. After a sluggish first few minutes for the Storm, Hannah came off the bench and scored a quick seven points on two fast break baskets and a 3-pointer to help NLC begin to establish a lead. The team turned up the defensive intensity, challenging every pass and using ball pressure to force the Hawks out of their offense. This led repeatedly to run-out baskets, many by Hannah Grace. By halftime the Storm stretched the lead to 19. The lead stayed in the 20's for most of the second half and reached as high as 32 points. The Storm's half-court offense never really clicked in this game, but aggressive defense (19 steals and 15 deflections), offensive rebounding, and lots of fast break points were enough to produce a comfortable win. Hannah Grace scored 20 points, Arianna grabbed 9 rebounds and Anna had 5 steals to lead the Storm, and Hannah played a strong game with 10 points, 3 assists, and 4 steals.

Storm vs. Lighthouse

NLC Storm 48 Lighthouse Eagles 45

For the second year in a row, the New Life Storm swept to a regular season first place finish in the East Region of the NCHE conference. But it wasn't easy. The Storm had to come back from a 6-point deficit in the final 2 minutes to pull out the win. The Eagles went inside early and used their height advantage to score. On the other end, their 1-2-2 zone seemed to bother the Storm, as their height in the lane allowed them to extend pressure on the ball on the perimeter. The Storm was also not able to get any fast break points. A back-and-forth half ended in a 22-22 tie. Lighthouse jumped out quickly in the second half, hitting two quick threes and scoring the first 8 points of the half. The lead stretched as high as 10 before the Storm began to come back. With Lighthouse leading 45-39, Hannah Grace hit a 3-pointer. Then with under 1 minute left in the game, Shelby pulled down an offensive rebound and was fouled. To that point, NLC had made only 4 of 16 free throws, but Shelby hit both to make the score 45-44. After several turnovers by both teams in a frenzied final minute, Hannah Grace was fouled on a fast break with 7 seconds remaining. She made both FT to give the Storm the lead - their first lead of the 2nd half. A full court press then led to a Lighthouse turnover and Hannah Grace grabbed a steal and scored to ice the game. Hannah Grace led the Storm in scoring with 14 points (7 of them in the final 2 minutes). Daryl grabbed 9 rebounds and Rebecca had 4 assists to lead the team.

Storm vs. Surry

Surry Runnin' Patriots 56 NLC Storm 47

The Storm lost for the first time this season, dropping this game to the defending state champion Runnin' Patriots in Mt. Airy. The Storm held a 5-pt halftime lead but struggled some offensively in the 3rd quarter, scoring only 7 points as Surry took the lead and went on to a 9-point win. Arianna led the Storm with 14 points. Hannah Grace had 13 points, 4 assists, and 7 deflections, and Anna led in rebouding with 7 boards. The Storm gets a chance for avenge the loss on Feb 12 when Surry comes to NLC for the return match.

Storm @ Christian Faith

NLC Storm 46 Christian Faith Center Academy Conquerors 45

Arianna hit 2 free throws with 5.8 seconds to play, and the New Life Storm escaped with a 1-point on the road against the Conquerors of Christian Faith Center Academy. The normally fast starting Storm did not get off to their usual first quarter lead and trailed 7-5 at the end of the first period. The Conquerors athleticism and aggressiveness in their zone defense forced the Storm into numerous turnovers. Midway through the 2nd period, the Storm offense came alive. Darryl started the run with a high-low feed to Shelby and a 15-ft jumper. Then the Storm followed with 3 fast break baskets and went ahead 23-16. Christian Faith answered by scoring the last 8 points of the half, and took the lead on a 3-pointer by their star, Anastasia Tucet, just before the halftime buzzer. The second half continued to be a hard-fought, physical, back-and-forth game with several lead changes and neither team able to pull away. The Storm continued to struggle with turnovers, finishing with a season-high 31. They continued to have success with the fast break also, and transition baskets by Hannah Grace, Anna, and Arianna put NLC up 41-38 midway through the 4th quarter. Again Tucet answered, scoring 5 points to tie the game at 43-43 inside the last minute. Hannah Grace drove and was fouled, making 1 FT for a 44-43 lead. Tucet, who scored 32 points on the game, answered again, absorbing contact and hitting a fall-away jumper to give CF the lead with 17 seconds to play. This set the stage for Arianna's heroics, as she went to the line and coolly drained the winning shots. Tucet took one final 3-pt attempt which was off and the Storm moved to 10-0 on the season. Hannah Grace led NLC with 15 points while Daryl and Arianna each pulled down 9 rebounds.

Storm vs. Raleigh Christian

NLC Storm 46 Raleigh Christian Academy Eagles 40

The Storm moved to 9-0 on the season with a victory over Raleigh Christian Academy. In front of a big crowd on the Eagles' Homecoming night, the Storm jumped out to a 7-0 lead to start the game and never trailed. Defense set the tone early, as Shelby had blocked shots on consecutive possessions and NLC's help defenders swarmed RCA leading scorer Olivia Davis whenever she tried to drive to the basket. Consecutive 3-pointers by Rebecca helped establish a 15-6 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Storm led by 5 at the half, but the Eagles - who came into the game with an 8-2 record - started the 3rd quarter strong. RCA cut the Storm lead to 1 point, but Rebecca hit two more 3's and then Arianna made a steal and quick outlet to Rebecca, who found Hannah Grace for a fast break layup and the lead was back to 9. RCA got as close as 3 points again in the fourth quarter, but with good defense and taking care of the ball down the stretch, the Storm held on for the win. The Storm held Davis to 12 points, well below her average of almost 20 points per game, and blocked a season high 7 shots. They showed good patience and ball movement on offense, with 5 players having 2 or more assists while only having 8 turnovers. Rebecca led the way with 17 points and 4 assists, Shelby and Anna went to the boards with 13 and 12 rebounds, and Arianna had 6 steals.

Storm vs. Masonic Home

NLC Storm 48 Masonic Home Red Devils 29

(Thanks to Andrew for the game report)
The Storm girls added another win to their record tonight, making their season 8-0. Hannah Grace opened up the game with a couple of foul shots and two three pointers, much to the chagrin of the Red Devil fans. Early on, the Storm got a 12 point lead which held for most of the first half. This lead continued into the second half and they finished the game 48-29. Anna Vanover led the team in defense as well as pulling down 13 rebounds. Arianna Dinglasan was almost automatic from the free throw line, hitting 6 of 7. The team was 80% from the free throw line. It was a good win to knock the rust off as the team looks forward to Friday’s game against RCA.