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By Brian Pitts
Enterprise Record

Lexi Mickey of Davie’s varsity girls basketball team kept grinding when she was a bit part in the first 12 games of the season. She kept grinding when she did not appear on the court in five of the first 12 games, never scoring more than three in any of those appearances. You want to see kids like that succeed.
Mickey’s improvement since early January has been admirable, scoring four-plus points in five of the last nine games, including four points and three assists in Davie’s 66-53 home win over West Forsyth on Feb. 4.
“Lexi has come a long way,” coach Lindsey Adams said of the transfer from Calvary. “I know it was probably a hard adjustment going from being the best one on your team (at Calvary) and having no help to having all the weapons we have. Working and earning playing time is not hard for Lexi because she will work. She doesn’t have a problem earning her spot. But it’s just learning a different style of play. We play faster. She’s learning to be more confident with the ball. She was our Team Grundy tonight. Coach (Debbie) Evans gave it to her for the charge she took and just doing the little things that we’ve been asking players to do. Lexi has a high basketball IQ. She knows the game, she sees it. She makes good passes.”
In the first meeting, the War Eagles took West behind the woodshed, 86-28. They didn’t play nearly as well in this one, prompting Adams to turn to her bench early and often.
Davie led 30-20 at halftime, 48-37 after the third quarter and watched the lead shrink to four in the fourth.
“We just played flat,” Adams said. “We had some big games last week (against Reagan and Mt. Tabor), we’re in first place and we beat this team by 58 last time. If you don’t have experienced players, it’s hard to know how to handle and be focused for every game. So we came out really, really flat. Offensively, we just couldn’t buy a basket. We had mishaps and were missing box-outs, so I just subbed everybody.
“The subs did phenomenal, especially in the third quarter when I really needed them.”
After West closed within four, Davie quickly got back to work and put away the Titans (10-10 overall) for the fourth time in a row.
Three War Eagles produced double-figure points, led by Avarie Martin’s 18 points, five rebounds and two steals.
“In the second half, I told her to go back inside and do what you’re good at,” Adams said. “That’s where she got all 18 points. They just can’t guard her in the paint, and the guards on the perimeter can’t guard her out there when she’s driving.”
Bailey Aderhold shot wonderfully (6 of 10 overall, 4 of 8 from 3), scored 16 points and handed out four assists. She also hit a beautiful reverse layup.
“When she sees it go in and starts to feel it … I mean, she gets tunnel vision and she can get really hot, which is what we need, especially with teams playing zone like they do,” Adams said.
Londyn McDowell (11 points on 5-of-6 shooting) and Gracie Shore (four points, seven rebounds, five assists, three steals) contributed significantly. Shore made one of the best passes of the season, jumping on the floor for a loose ball and hitting a wide-open Martin under the basket.
“That was awesome,” Adams said. “Yeah, that’ll be on the highlight reel. (Shore and Martin) have really good chemistry to have never played together before. They’re very, very close off the court, and that’s started to transpire on the court. The more they play together, the more they’re going to be able to have chemistry with one another.”
Davie 71, Parkland 43
Adams continued to sub four and five at a time against visiting Parkland on Feb. 7. The strategy worked as the Mustangs wore down after staying within one point of Davie in the first quarter.
The War Eagles surged in front by nine at halftime, pushed the spread to 18 in the third and poured in on in the fourth as their relentless pressure defense squeezed the life out of an opponent that entered with a 14-7 record.
“That was Parkland’s third game this week. They only have five people that really play,” Adams said. “The last three or four games, I’ve been able to sub the entire team in and out. We’re killing people in transition. The second group didn’t have the skill (at the beginning of the season) that they have now, but going against the starting five and every single day in practice for the past two months has made them earn my trust to put them in big scenarios. And now we’re able to sub five and keep up the pressure when teams don’t have the bench that we do.”
Makenzie Gentry flourished off the bench, scoring 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting. It was a two-year varsity high for the junior.
“Kenzie stepped up huge,” Adam said. “She’s being confident.”
Six girls turned in at least eight points, including Vivian Vaughters’ 11 points on 5-of-7 field goals. Shore stuffed the stat sheet with 10 points, five rebounds, five steals and four assists. Martin had nine points, while Aderhold and Emmie Burris had eight each.
“We have so many scoring threats and you never know who it’s going to be every night,” Adams said.
The War Eagles kept pace with East Forsyth in their quest for their first CPC title in 20-plus years. Both teams are 10-2, followed by Reagan at 8-4. Davie is 15-6 overall with four straight wins.
“I think we’re peaking at the right time,” Adams said as Davie approached the final week of the regular season. “You can see the team chemistry continue to build. With them being so young, it’s only going to get better.”
Notes: McDowell put the ball on the deck and made an impressive lefthanded layup against Parkland. “That was sweet,” Adams said. “Her and Viv have been working on their daily vitamins to be a threat. The more they’re able to score in the post, the more it’ll open up for everybody else. (Daily vitamins are) a minute on, a minute off. It’s like 150 or 200 layups. We call them daily vitamins because you should be doing them every single day.” … With seven players averaging at least five points, Davie couldn’t be more balanced. Martin is first at 13.9, followed by Shore 8.3, Aderhold 7.5, Gentry 6.9, Burris 6.7, Vaughters 5.7 and McDowell 5.
Davie 66, W. Forsyth 53 – Avarie Martin 18, Bailey Aderhold 16, Londyn McDowell 11, Vivian Vaughters 5, Emmie Burris 4, Gracie Shore 4, Lexi Mickey 4, Olivia Smith 2, Makenzie Gentry 2.
Davie 71, Parkland 43 – Makenzie Gentry 18, Vivian Vaughters 11, Gracie Shore 10, Avarie Martin 9, Bailey Aderhold 8, Emmie Burris 8, Lexi Mickey 4, Olivia Smith 2, Londyn McDowell 1.