The Rock Lions had to endure a 12-game losing streak, but that streak is no more. They skirted past Newberry 56-53. The win was just what The Rock needed coming off of a 59-37 loss in their prior matchup.
The Rock's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Stella Chigha, who scored 16 points along with nine rebounds and six steals. That's the first time this season that Chigha scored 15 or more points. Another player making a difference was Ruby Patterson, who scored nine points along with eight rebounds and five assists.
When it comes to explaining why Newberry lost on Thursday, one person who can't be blamed is Sarah Beaulieu. Despite the final result, she dropped a double-double on 23 points and ten assists. Beaulieu has been hot recently, having posted two or more steals the last eight times she's played. Jada Brown was another key contributor, scoring 22 points.
The Rock's win ended a six-game drought at home and bumped them up to 2-16. As for Newberry, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 10-5.
The Rock the luxury of staying home another game and will welcome The Villages Charter at 4:30 p.m. on January 20th. The Villages Charter presents a significant challenge as they come into the match much higher ranked than The Rock in Florida (The Villages Charter is ranked 173rd, while The Rock is ranked 442nd). Newberry won't have much time to rest: their next game is against Bronson at 6:30 p.m. on January 19th. Bronson is still on the hunt for that elusive first 'W'.
