Last Friday was a tough night for the Camden Fairview Lady Cardinals (12-9; 3-5 in 4A-7 region play) and the Camden Fairview Cardinals (10-5: 5-3) as they both suffered losses at home to the Nashville Scrappers. The Lady Cardinals couldn't create a spark to keep up with the Lady Scrappers, who are state title contenders, as they fell 77-34. The Cardinals, despite having the better record and more dynamic talent, were upset by the Scrappers again, this time at home 43-40.
This Tuesday night, both Cardinal teams will not have time to lick their wounds as they will have to host the Magnolia Panthers. This will be the second meeting of the season for the boys' and girls' Cardinals and Panthers as Camden Fairview went on the road to lose to their rivals near the beginning of conference play on Jan. 6.
The Lady Cardinals lost to the Lady Panthers 50-41 despite a strong performance on both ends of the court from senior forward Karmen Johnson. Johnson accounted for 13 points, 15 rebounds, and five steals, two games after suffering a serious hit to the head in the game against Dermott.
Sophomore Jordan Clary accounted for 11 points, two rebounds, and two steals. No other player for the Lady Cardinals had more than seven points as the Lady Panthers played tight defense and contested every shot of Camden Fairview. Camden Fairview was 16-of-68 in field goals (23.5%) in the road game against Magnolia.
For the Lady Cardinals to upset the Magnolia Lady Panthers (13-4; 7-1), Camden Fairview will have to pass the ball quickly and efficiently to find great shooting opportunities, but also avoid steals where the Panthers could quickly defeat the Lady Cardinals defense in transition to the opposite side of the court.
The boys' team had a tough time on the road versus the Panthers on both ends of the court as they lost 61-39. The Cardinals were not able to consistently match the speed and overall aggression on offense and defense of the Panthers.
The Cardinals were 11-of-35 in field goal and 4-of-12 from the three-point arc against the Panthers a little under a month ago. Senior forward Traveon King and sophomore guard Kyleston Gill led the team in points scored with nine each. Magnolia shot 24-of-57 field goals and 7-of-15 from the three-point arc.
The Cardinals have changed several playing schemes since the loss to the Panthers. Gill is a huge spark off the bench and the team is bigger and more aggressive in the paint with their seniors in King and forward Jarvis Reed. It helps the offense become more dynamic and not one-dimensional with their shot selection. The Cardinals are hoping this adjustment to their play scheme will make them compete with the Magnolia Panthers (15-1; 8-0) and attempt to pull an upset.
Photo By: Michael Hanich
Camden Fairview head coach Whitney Frazier talks to her team in the game against Hope.