FIFTH THIRD HOLIDAY CLASSIC at EAST LINCOLN HS

This is the first time I've been to this tournament and was surprised by the size of the large crowd on the first day. For the last two years I've gone to the Bojangles Shootout and was impressed with the competition and crowds there. I love that tournament but they aren't photographer friendly so I followed the Lady Titans led by Coach Richmond to The Fifth Third Holiday Classic. While they might now have the national talent they aren't short on local talent.

There are still two days left, monday and tuesday to catch some good basket ball. Come on down, it's a fan friendly tournament.

As a photographer I love the lights behind the baskets and the few extra feet to the wall that gives me a chance to get better photos. I'm going back.

 

Fifth Third Holiday Classic, Hopewell vs East Lincoln Game

I'm not sure why I thought the Lady Titans would dominate the host East Lincoln team, it was anything but a dominance. Despite the final score in favor of the Titans 53-44 it was a close game.

With only minutes left East Lincoln came back to just three behind, and the momentum in their favor, but the Lady Titans led by Bridget Ansbro(24), Margaret Spaulding(34) and Hunter Meakin(13) secured the victory and advanced to round two in the winners bracket.

I can't tell you how impressed I was by Lindsy Wright(31) the East Lincon center. She was a force the whole game with blocked shots and a scored a ton of points. I don't think she sat for a second and never slowed down a bit. She wasn't alone, Kristen Wakefield(23) was all over the court both on offense and defense too.

The battle of the centers was the highlight of the night for me, Hopewell's Ansbro had the best game I have ever seen her play in the three years I've photographed her and East Lincoln's Wright is the best I've seen locally at center.

I'm posting a few photos here but the are more on my web site. Check them out, I'm not selling anything.

 

Also attended the opening day event, as a SouthCaldwell supporter I have been attending this event for the past five years, , and would like to extend a bigh thank you for all the hard work that has been done to make this tourn. possible, as you mentioned this tourn. usually does not have many of the big name team entered, but this year there are some pretty darn good teams playing.
Should be a enterning day as some of the top teams battle, I do believe that Hopewell and the Lady Spartans play at 7:00 PM, should be a fun game, don't remember who East Gaston plays. but the top four play today..

 

South Caldwell 58
Hopewell 37

 

South Caldwell

scfan, how did you get the score up so fast? The game was hardly over and you had the score posted.

I was very impressed with the South Caldwell girls team, they dominated the Lady Titans all night, led by Matison Hall and Kayla Gross, it was a team effort. I wish them luck tonight in the finals versus Ardrey Kell at 7PM.

I hope to have photos up tomorrow sometime or New Years day at the latest. scfan will you please tell the South Caldwell team about the photos on this and my web site?

 

South Caldwell, Hopewell game

South Caldwell's Matison Hall (12), Kayla Gross (22), and Shainia Sams (23). Hopewell's Hunter Meagan (13) and Bridget Ansbro (24) game photos.

More photos can be seen on my web site from The Fifth Third Holiday Classic at East lincoln HS, Denver, NC...

 

SC lost the championship game tonight to Audry Kale (sp) by I think 5. This is one we let slip away and should have won. We led most nearly the entire game and up as much as 10 late in the 3rd quarter. Then we just missed every shot we took including freethrows which is very unusual. We actually played maybe our best game this year, AK was tall and pretty darn good but just hit a dry spell at the wrong time no excusses just got beat