Sophomore stepping up for Lady Dragons offense

The Carroll girls basketball program’s 3-3 record from last week probably doesn’t sound like much. But when you consider that head coach Teri Morrison is putting this team through the most challenging non-district schedule in her time there, there are going to be weeks when this happens.

The Lady Dragons (9-5) lost to Arlington Bowie but went 3-2 in the Pflugerville tournament, including a 61-43 victory over Dallas Lincoln. And the tournament showed some irony. After beating Pflugerville soundly in the first day (Thursday), 62-30, the Lady Dragons lost the second meeting on Friday, 56-49. Senior point guard Kennedy Leonard was named to the all-tournament team.

But the Lincoln victory was pretty impressive considering that sophomore Priscilla Smeenge enjoyed one of the most productive games of her career when she scored 22 points on 10-19 shooting.

Smeenge also followed that up with a 17-point effort against Round Rock Stony Point in a 62-54 Carroll win. So far, Smeenge has been in double figures in seven of the first 12 games and hasn’t scored fewer than six points in a game, the opener against Argyle.

When senior point guard Kennedy Leonard moves on, this team is going to need one of its younger players to take a leadership role. Smeege has a chance to do that.

So far, she’s averaging 11.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game. Smeenge’s size (5-11) and ability to handle the ball gives her the flexibility of playing on the block or on the perimeter. In other words, she gives Morrison options.

Carroll doesn’t need Smeenge to score from the perimeter too much. She’s only attempted 19 three-pointers. But she’s shooting 46 percent on two-point field goals. Coaches want their players to be shooting at least 45 percent in that area. If she can maintain that percentage throughout the season Carroll’s chances of winning District 7-6A take a big step forward.

Inside the numbers

As a team, Carroll is shooting 43 percent. That really isn’t too bad considering this team has faced several quality defensive teams in Duncanville, Arlington Bowie twice, Weatherford Brock and Dallas Lincoln.

To break that down, Carroll is shooting 44 percent on two-point field goals and 36 percent on three-point field goals.

Morrison maintained that she was going to stick with a lineup that was going to be deeper in the block than on the perimeter. The Lady Dragons have stuck to the plan, as only 22 percent of their field goal attempts have come from beyond the arc.

Carroll’s post presence remains incomplete. Senior post Madison Drescher has played only two games because she is suffering from an ankle sprain. Meanwhile, senior post Julianna Grubbs still hasn’t played in about a month because of her knee injury. It’s unclear if she is going to be able to play at all this year. Morrison recently said there was hope Grubbs could play with a brace.

It continues

Carroll’s schedule still doesn’t do it any favors. The Lady Dragons played Keller at home on Tuesday and play host to Class 5A power McKinney North on Friday. McKinney North was in the 2014 girls state basketball tournament.

This story was originally published December 8, 2014 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Sophomore stepping up for Lady Dragons offense."