Loudoun basketball notebook: Freedom-South Riding sweeps Champe for Conf. 22 titles – Washington Post

While watching film, the Freedom-South Riding girls basketball team avoids wasting time worrying about its own performance. Instead, the defense-obsessed Eagles search for weaknesses in their upcoming opponents offensive game.

After they have studied, Coach Teddy Whitney takes time during practice drills to quiz players on the opposition.

Hell go around and ask What hand is number 11? Is she a shooter or does she like to drive?, senior guard Kiara Davis said. Our team is about defense, defense, defense. So when we prepare, were looking for advantages on defense.

Friday night against neighborhood rival Champe, the Eagles did not allow a basket in the first quarter on their way to a 52-14 win. After a 46-35 loss to Loudoun County on Jan. 23, Freedom won three straight games to clinch its second straight regular season title in Virginia Conference 22.

That loss was a pretty nice gut check, sophomore Jaelyn Batts said, who leads the Eagles (18-3, 8-0) with 17.9 points per game. We learned that we cant come out flat and expect to be able to come back.

After the girls victory, Freedoms boys team took the floor in Aldie in search of its own conference championship. After a rough start, the Eagles pulled out a 67-63 win.

In December, the Knights topped Freedom in double overtime behind 63 points, including 28 made free throws, from senior Dom Fragala. In the rematch, the Eagles limited Fragala, who leads the area with 37.2 points per game, to four free throw attempts and 28 points.

We knew if we stop him, we win, said junior Zyan Collins, who scored 23 points and leads the Eagles with 19.1 per game. We knew we had to sag in and be ready to help, and we executed that.

[Boys Top 20: Still-unbeaten Rock Creek Christian rises to No. 1]

Freedom (16-5, 7-1) trailed 23-6 after one quarter and did not take the lead until the fourth. Once the Eagles clawed their way in front, they held on in front of a packed house to secure the schools first regular season conference championship in boys basketball and complete a road sweep of their rival.

All season, one teams success has been motivation for the other.

Its not a rivalry, but we definitely push each other to be better, Davis said. Lets call it a friendly competition.

The Big number: 1,000

Career points for Briar Woods senior guard Amani Rascoe, who surpassed the milestone with 16 in Fridays loss to Tuscarora.

Player of the week

G David Walls , Potomac Falls, Sr.

Walls dropped a season-high 38 points as the Panthers outlasted Stone Bridge, 83-71, on Friday night. Potomac Falls (14-6, 6-1) can clinch the Conference 14 regular season title at home against Tuscarora on Tuesday.

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Loudoun basketball notebook: Freedom-South Riding sweeps Champe for Conf. 22 titles - Washington Post