Jacksonville Fl- The Lady Saints have proven that they are one of the best girls basketball teams in the city, remaining undefeated against Northeast Florida teams. The Saints improved to 14-1 this week with Gateway Conference wins against Atlantic Coast, and then Ribault to set up a match up with Raines for the conference championship. Sandalwood made short work of Atlantic Coast 60-19 on Wednesday, as Amari Wright and Caitlin McGee each scored 14 points to lead the Saints. Maria Torres chipped in with 10 points, while Auriya Stewart and Lauran Alverez had 7 points in the effort.
Next up would be the defending gateway conference champion Ribault Lady Trojans, which earlier this year Sandalwood dealt the Lady Trojans their first conference loss in seven years. The rematch would be a repeat of the first game, even with Ribault standout Shania Edgecombe’s return. Sandalwood defeated Ribault 58-44 in the conference semifinals thanks in part to a big night from Amari Wright’s 25 points. McGee made her presence known on offense with 15 points, but more so on defense as she dominated the middle by blocking shots and securing rebounds. Their defense held Edgecombe to just 8 points, as Auriya Stewart harassed Trojan guards all night. She would finish with 8 points in the game.
With the wins over Atlantic Coast and Ribault, Sandalwood now returns home to host the Gateway Conference Championship. They hope to defeat Raines Saturday night to secure heir first gateway conference championship in the storied school’s history. A remarkable feat seeing that there have been some extremely good Sandalwood teams in the past. However, Ribault’s dominance has shown true in the conference, that even the good teams fell to an elite team in Ribault. The tide has turned this year as Coach Pat Clark and his Lady Saints attempt to prove their elite status with a championship trophy.
