Eastside Slams Santa Fe Girls Basketball

ALACHUA — The Eastside High girls basketball team dominated Santa Fe on Dec.1, 50-14.

Early Success

Eastside (3-1) started with an aggressive offensive performance. The Rams’ intent was clear after racking up 15 points in the first quarter for  15-5 lead. Santa Fe’s top scorer posed a threat, but it was never too much for Eastside’s defense.

Going into the second quarter, the Rams’ offense just did not quit. Points from Aniya West, Kira Martin, Precious Marshall and Keyauri O’Neal allowed Eastside to pick up an additional 10 points.

The Raiders’ struggle to find the hoop and persistent defense and offense concluded the second period trailing 25-7.

Rams’ Sharp Shooters

The second half of the game started with a bang. Eastside scored back-to-back layups early in the third quarter. Aniya West was quick to follow up with three layups in a row. These were six of West’s team-high 19 points.

The third quarter came to an end with Eastside up 37-11. In the fourth quarter, the Rams brought the same heat to the court. Determination and talent showed in both their offense and defense, as the dual-threat team swept the Santa Fe Raiders (2-3). 

A Few Words From The Coach

Coach Lonna Turner had much to be proud of in her team’s performance, she said. She mentioned that there is always room for improvement and there will be many things her team will be working on. 

“We have to fix a lot of old bad habits,” Turner said. “We’re learning things, but I’m still confident in them and I know they can go in and execute.”

Turner instills a straightforward mindset in her players. She hopes that will lead them to success.

“Our three things are: execute, be dedicated and communicate.”

Up Next

The Rams will face North Marion in Citra at 6 p.m. Friday. Santa Fe defeated Hamilton County, 45-44, on Thursday.