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.