1A PLAYOFFS -- Rosewood girls begin quest for another regional trip AND beyond

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on February 23, 2016 1:48 PM

• Print
• Email

rcoggins@newsargus.com

Rick Grantham still recalls that first team meeting three years ago when he took over the Rosewood varsity girls' basketball program.

He pointed to a bright purple banner, trimmed in gold, hanging on the wall. There were just three white numbers sewn into it. The Eagles' last regular-season title occurred in 1981 when they advanced to the eastern regional.

That "81" stood out like a sore thumb to Grantham.

"I said to them I believe we can win championships," Grantham said.

His competitive spirit and confidence became infectious among the players. They bought into their coach's philosophy and soon learned that the game wasn't just about motion offenses, zone presses, boxing out on rebounds, taking quality shots and converting free throws.

It was about having fun -- a message Grantham has delivered each day in practice and before tip off of every game.

Three years later, three more numbers -- "14," "15," and "16" -- are getting added to that championship banner.

"Evidently somebody believed it," chuckled Grantham, who has fashioned a career record of 70-9. "They've worked their tails off and now they've won three in a row. The kids deserve all of the credit. They've done a great job believing in our vision, believing in our culture that they've built."

Rosewood looks to add another block to the program's foundation tonight. The fourth-seeded Eagles (22-3 overall) entertain Lejeune in opening-round action of the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1-A playoffs.

Tip-off is 6 p.m. Admission is $7.

Quick starts have been the norm for the Eagles this season. Their full-court man defense has coaxed opposing teams into turnovers, which has fueled the offense. Just five days ago, Rosewood broke Lakewood's will with a 23-2 run that led to a 21-point advantage after the opening quarter.

Hannah Daniels provided the early spark. She ran the court well in transition, scrambled for loose balls on the floor and dished out seven assists in the first quarter. Daniels didn't score after the first quarter, but her work ethic to get her teammates involved offensively proved pivotal.

"Gosh, she's made so much growth from that timid little freshman to this full-blown junior whose gambling out there, stealing balls, driving the ball ... just working so hard (and) is rebounding much better than she has," Grantham said.

"She sticks her nose in there for balls she can dig out for steals. Everything about her is really, really good now."

The break-neck pace the Eagles prefer has led to a recent downside. Grantham burned several timeouts in the second half against Lakewood to give his depleted team a breather. The Eagles go just seven players deep due to the absence of Macy Tyndall and Nekia Williams, who are both out due to concussion protocol.

Payton Lane just returned after missing nearly three weeks due to an appendectomy.

"We're kind of in a bad place right now," said RHS senior shooting forward Lexi Mercer, who will make her 105th career start against the Devilpups. "We're not so deep in the bench, so we're having to work with what we have. Payton coming back will be a big help for us in postseason play (and) everybody is contributing, which is working out well for us when we need them."

Mercer averages a double-double -- 24.7 points, 10.8 rebounds -- in an offense that collects 66 points a game. The Elon University signee has posted 22 double-doubles this season.

Backcourt mate Jala Holloman knocks down 14 points an outing and dishes out nearly four assists per game. Alyssa Garrison has boosted her scoring output to 7.8 points, while Lane contributes 6.5 points.

Rosewood averages 37 rebounds and 19 steals as a team.

The Eagles, winners of 15 consecutive games, will need that same tenacity to advance to the eastern regionals for the third straight season. They'll also look to continue a current trend -- a Wayne County team has advanced to the regional level each year since 2011.

"We're playing well together as a group," Daniels said. "We get along great on and off the court. I think that's what helps us the most. If one of us messes up, we talk them up and go right back out there (to work)."