By Angela Watts
Assistant GM, Washington D.C. Metro Area
** Click the links above to access a full photo gallery and dozens of video highlights from Friday’s game!
Langley Coach Cheryl Buffo readily admitted — with a sly smile — that she told a little white lie to sophomore center Audrey Dotson before the Saxons faced Liberty District leader South Lakes on Friday night.
“We told her a little fib before the game to try and motivate her,” said Buffo, refusing to divulge her secret tale. “And that tends to work with her. We did it once last year, in fact, in the district championship game and she went out and had a great game.
“And I think she might have had our first 10 straight points tonight.”
It was actually eight first-quarter points — and a couple of blocks — for the versatile, 6-feet-1-inch sophomore. But it proved more than enough.
Dotson finished with a game-high 21 points and more than a dozen rebounds, leading Langley (10-8 overall, 7-3 Liberty District) to a 50-40 victory over South Lakes.
Both of the Seahawks losses this season have come against the Saxons. Langley also defeated South Lakes, 60-39, on Jan. 6.
“I don’t know why we seem to have their number, but we obviously do,” Buffo said. “You would think, because they’re very athletic and we’re more poised and a little bit more patient and we really try to run things through, that they might have the advantage.
“But for whatever reason we’ve come out on top against them and, surprised or not, I’ll take it. It’s a nice win.”
As instrumental as Dotson was in the paint, it was the late-game heroics of senior guard McCaul Benson (11 points) that sealed the victory.
Langley led South Lakes 31-23 at the end of three quarters, but the Seahawks came out firing in the fourth.
Led by seniors Lachelle Wallace (team-high 12 points), Kelcyn Manurs and Kelly Liscomb and junior Jasmine Jones, South Lakes took its first lead of the second half, 37-36, on a pull-up jumper by Jones with 3 minutes, 38 seconds to play.
But Dotson scored the games’ next four points — converting two free throws and hitting a long jumper — to put the Saxons back on top, 40-37, with 2:43 remaining. And then Benson took over.
The sure-handed senior stole the ball on back-to-back possessions, converted one layup and drew a foul on the other play to put the game out of reach.
“McCaul has a brother who plays football, and so she’s no-nonsense when she’s on the court,” Buffo said. “In fact, he’s come to our practice and run kind of a drill sergeant practice, so needless to say she’s tough as nails.
“And she came up huge for us tonight, especially at that critical point.”
The Saxons’ victory Friday night makes the final two weeks of regular-season play critical in the Liberty District. South Lakes (13-2 overall, 7-2 Liberty District) still leads the league, but now Langley (10-8, 7-3), Madison (8-8, 6-3) and W.T. Woodson (10-8, 6-4) are within striking distance.
“Our district is so crazy right now,” Buffo said. “It blows my mind when I look at the standings and see that it’s wide open.”
And with the Saxons in the thick of it all, it seems Dotson can expect a few more well-intended fibs from her coach.
“We’ll probably just play with her mind the rest of the season,” Buffo said, laughing. “And hopefully we’ll get a double-double out of her the rest of the way.”
Email: awatts@digitalsports.com
South Lakes 9 6 8 17 — 40
Langley 12 6 13 19 — 50
South Lakes — Wallace 6 0-0 12; Manurs 3 1-2 8; Kendall 2 3-4 7; Liscomb 3 0-1 7; Jones 3 0-2 6. Team totals: 17 4-9 40. Langley — Dotson 7 7-9 21; Benson 2 7-8 11; Warrick 2 2-2 7; Gallagher 2 0-0 4; Shea 1 2-2 4; Doherty 1 0-0 2; Kody 0 1-2 1. Team totals: 15 19-23 50.
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