Girls basketball: Monacan's Vann leads victory over Midlothian

A mere 40 seconds had ticked off the clock in Monacan’s 52-32 victory over Midlothian Monday night when the Chiefs’ Zaria Vann spotted up and swished a 12-foot jumper from the right wing.

A minute later, she drove into the lane, met a defender, and lofted a soft, somewhat-off-balance floater that hit nothing but net.

Another minute passed, and the silky-smooth, unflappable 5-9 sophomore guard made another foray into the heart of the Trojans’ defense, nimbly juke-stepped right to create space, and, you guessed it, buried her third consecutive shot despite the plucky, determined visitors’ best efforts to rein her in.

Vann finished with 26 points, but it wasn’t just her offensive production that sparked the Chiefs.

She also collected 13 rebounds, dealt three assists, blocked four shots, and, as talented, court-savvy, team-oriented players do, elevated the competitive level of those around her.

“To begin with, we’re trying to get a lead and go on a run, and I’m trying to help my teammates get comfortable,” said Vann. “That means figuring out ways to get them open and helping us start off strong.”

Vann was the object, for sure, of the Midlo defense’s attention. It was a situation to which she’s grown accustomed and which she relishes.

“They’re trying to get in my head,” she said. “I’m playing for my teammates, I’m playing for Monacan, and I’m playing for myself as well. I have that in my heart. I just try to stay focused and get the job done.”

That, she did.

That, the Chiefs did as well.

After leading 10-8 after a quarter, Coach Leslie Bacile’s crew ran afoul of Midlo’s 1-2-1-1 full-court pressure and fell behind 17-14 when Jamee Hobough hit a 3-pointer from the right baseline 3:55 before halftime.

Undaunted, the Chiefs (5-6) mounted a 9-0 run (Taryn Harton’s 3-pointer and transition layup, Catherine Hill’s putback, and A’Niya Clarke’s two free throws) to go into the break ahead 23-17.

They weren’t finished. 

Playing spirited, lockdown man-to-man and relying on Vann’s 12 points, all generated from close range, the Chiefs outscored Midlothian 15-3 to take a 38-20 lead into the fourth.

The final quarter opened similarly. 

Seventeen seconds in, Vann penetrated into the paint and hit a floater. Tori Jackson followed with a short jumper. Layla Ellett drained a 3-pointer at 6:04 for a 45-20 lead.

When freshman guard Briella Ansell (11 points) struck from behind the arc 5:51 from the end, it marked the Trojans’ first field goal in the last 15:04, a stretch during which the Monacan defense had pestered them into eight turnovers and 0-for-22 shooting.

With 2:55 remaining, senior forward Bryleigh Davis hit a shot from the wing to restore the Chiefs’ 25-point lead (52-27), but Midlothian (2-7) scored the game’s final points on a 3-pointer by Carter Sexton at 0:35 and a putback by Grace Burke at the buzzer.

 “Last year, we had a lot of players who felt very comfortable taking the ball down the court and being a huge threat offensively,” said Ellett, a 5-4 senior guard. “This year, we don’t necessarily have that talent, but we still have the conditioning and the athleticism, so we use our defense to make up for the lack on offense.

“We play a sag-off man, so we’re looking for help in the gaps and stopping penetration because we want teams to shoot the 3. We know that’s a less likely shot for them to make.”

The Trojans actually connected on seven 3-pointers (including five in the first quarter and a half when the game was still close), but the Monacan defense allowed little else.

“Midlo is a good team,” Ellett said. “The fact that we came together and played team defense is nice, because defense creates offense.”

Monacan shot 21-for-51 from the field, scored 34 points in the paint, collected 31 rebounds, and forced 12 turnovers. Midlothian shot 11-for-60, hauled in 34 rebounds, and forced 13 turnovers.

“I was really proud of their effort today,” said Bacile. “We have a tough schedule. Coming in with a new, inexperienced team, I knew we’d take our hits early.

“Over the break, we had a lot of time to dig in and learn. To their credit, they’ve worked very hard. Our goal is not to be perfect all the time, but keep getting better and peak at the right time.”