Lady Eagles get ready for Lady Bison

Prince Edward County High School junior point guard Da’Mya Harris has another accolade to help boost her confidence as she and the Lady Eagles prepare for their state quarterfinal game Friday night against Buffalo Gap High School in Stuarts Draft.

Harris was named to the 2018 All-Region 2A first team, and Prince Edward Head Coach Carlton Redd noted that in the voting by regional coaches, she was second only to the regional Player of the Year, Poquoson High School senior Sondra Fan.

Redd said Harris also received all-region recognition last year when she was the No. 7 vote recipient, and he is pleased to see her rising up through the ranks in the region.

“It’s good for her and her confidence and realizing what she has ahead of her, that if she can do this now, then she needs to continue to improve and do even better next year,” he said. “That’s not something I have to preach to her. She understands that. She accepts that, and I think she relishes the opportunity.”

She is represented statistically by her regular-season averages. She averaged 20.5 points, five rebounds, 4.9 steals and 2.8 assists per game.

Harris and the Lady Eagles (22-5) will take on Buffalo Gap at 7 p.m. on Friday at Stuarts Draft High School, and Redd has been scouting the Lady Bison (21-6), who also reached the state quarterfinals two years ago.

“Everybody’s bigger than us, but they’re bigger than we are,” he said. “They’ve won some big games against big teams down the stretch, so they’re battle tested.”

He noted they are in a rough region, 2B, and it is a region they won, edging George Mason High School 45-42 in the title game.

The Lady Bison played the entire tournament away from their home gym. They defeated Shenandoah District regular-season and tournament champion Wilson Memorial High School 52-47 in the regional semifinals and topped Central High School, of Woodstock, 46-33 in the regional quarterfinals.

For the regular season, Buffalo Gap finished third in the Shenandoah District and was eliminated from the district tournament in the semifinals after a 58- 51 loss to East Rockingham High School.

Redd said the Lady Bison “have two left-handers, one that plays the front court and one that plays the back court, and they seem to be a pretty good tandem.”

Buffalo Gap’s leading scorer is senior Leah Calhoun, who was named the Region 2B Player of the Year. She is averaging 14.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists.

The team’s leading rebounder and second-leading scorer is freshman Amaya Lucas, who is averaging 9.2 points and 7.9 rebounds.

The Lady Bison have demonstrated some depth, as they have experienced some injuries at the point guard position. They are playing without their starter at that position, senior Hannah Varner, due to a torn ACL. Senior Camille Ashby has stepped up in the role and is playing well now.

Buffalo Gap’s playoff rotation has included about eight players.

The Lady Eagles look to learn from the postseason experience they have gained so far.

“When we played against Poquoson, I didn’t have any complaints about what the girls did or their effort,” Redd said. “Whatever our shortcomings were, it was due to the fact we hadn’t faced anybody like that before. And I think that the biggest thing we took from that, even though it was a loss, it really nailed home the fact that whoever we play is going to be good, is going to be really good, and we’re the new kids on the block. So, we’ve got to figure out things quickly and continue to play tough.”