Better in Raider blue

When Lomega was bested in the 2018 Warrior Classic championship game, there was a freshman who came off the bench to nail four 3-pointers and score all 15 of her points in the second half to lift Hammon to the title.

That freshman’s name was Adysen Wilson.

In 2020, she once again led her team to the tournament championship, only this time she was wearing a Lomega uniform.

Now a junior for the Lady Raiders, Wilson scored 21 points Saturday and was named tournament MVP as Lomega blasted Beaver 88-45.

“I was nervous to go back,” admitted Wilson, who scored 30 points, including seven 3-pointers in the team’s 82-49 win over Southwest Covenant in Thursday’s quarterfi nals.

“I guess I still had the ‘home court advantage.’ After the first day, it wasn’t too bad.”

Wilson faced her former team in the semifi nals as Lomega toppled Hammon 62-46. Hammon had defeated Lomega in each of the last two title games.

Wilson had just six points, but handed out 12 assists and grabbed 11 rebounds.

“It goes without saying it’s a lot better to have her on our team,” said Lomega coach Kevin Lewallen.

Sophomore Hensley Eaton led the team with 19 points in that win, 16 of which came in the fi rst half.

Sydni Walker scored 16 and Emma Duffy 13.

Against Beaver, Lomega led by nine points after a quarter, then went on one of its patented 25-9 runs in the second quarter.

That lead continued to grow in the second half.

Wilson scored 10 points during the second quarter, including a pair of treys.

Duffy had 13 of her 20 points in the fi rst half and was also named to the all-tournament team.

Darcy Roberts chipped in 11 points and Walker 10.

Duffy and Walker both missed the entire fi rst half of the season with injuries.

Although the team won five straight before the holiday break, it’s just now starting to look like the juggernaut it was on the summer circuit.

“I feel we’re playing really well together now that Emma and Sydni are back,” said Wilson.

Lomega was 13-2 overall after the tournament win and has won 10 straight.

Runner-up for Raiders

Hammon denied a championship sweep for Lomega as it outscored the Raiders down the stretch in a 50-43 win for the boys title.

After a low-scoring half by both teams, Hammon outscored Lomega 35-26 in the second half.

“They just made a few more plays down the stretch than we did,” said Lomega MVP PERFORMANCE - Lomega junior Adysen Wilson earned MVP honors as the Lady Raiders won the Warrior Classic last weekend in Hammon. [Photo by Chris Simon/www.simon-sports-photos.smugmug.com]

coach Justin Edsall. “I thought we played really well defensively both Friday and Saturday.”

The Raiders got to the finals with a 60-41 victory against Class A’s 16th-ranked Southwest Covenant.

In that win, Lomega held its foe to just two points in the fourth quarter.

Riley Lumpkin single-handedly outscored them by seven points in the frame.

Noah Snowden scored 18 to pace the team while Blake Snowden added 14 and Tate Ott 12.

Ott and Blake Snowden combined to bury eight 3-pointers.

Hammon, ranked 12th in Class B, had a much stingier defense as that duo combined for three treys.

Lomega led by six after a quarter and still by two at halftime, but Hammon had claimed a three-point lead by the end of the third.

Noah Snowden scored 18 points and was named to the all-tournament team. Ott, who scored six, also earned the honor.

Lumpkin added eight points in the fi nal.

The Raiders were 10-5 after the loss.