Newton girls basketball’s bounce back season ends in the Sweet Sixteen

DALLAS, Ga. — The Newton Girl Rams season got here to an finish Friday evening within the Candy 16 of the Class AAAAAAA playoffs.

On the street in opposition to North Paulding, the Girl Rams fell 48-37 in a recreation that was tight all the way in which until the top.

After going into the second half trailing 20-15, the Girl Rams couldn’t pull nearer as a result of North Paulding’s defensive presence within the paint.

All through the sport, the Girl Wolfpack squandered many scoring alternatives for Newton inside.

On the defensive finish for Newton, crucial threes from North Paulding allowed it to tug forward of the Girl Rams within the second half.

Early within the third quarter, back-to-back three balls from Marina Sippolo gave the Girl Wolfpack a 30-22 lead. 

For the remainder of the competition, Newton couldn’t discover a strategy to pull inside six factors because the North Paulding benefit stood the remainder of the way in which to say the Candy 16 win.

The Girl Rams had been capable of keep shut with the assistance of Sanaa Tripp and Alissa Sandifer. The 2 mixed for 16 factors within the second half.

The Girl Rams had been led by Sandifer and Tripp with 11 and 10 factors, respectively.

Newton’s 2023-24 marketing campaign got here to an in depth with a 20-12 file. In Area 4-AAAAAAA play, the Girl Rams completed 8-3.

The 20-win season got here after a yr wherein the Girl Rams solely received three video games.

Assessing his staff’s enchancment, Bailey gave the credit score to his two seniors as one of many foremost causes for Newton’s bounce again season.

“I simply love the progress,” Bailey stated. “It begins with our two seniors — two youngsters who weren’t part of this system final yr. Each had been part of this system lately however got here again dwelling and simply made us so significantly better. Imari Humphrey and Sanaa Tripp — they each turned leaders for us.”

Following the season-ending loss, Bailey emphasised how this yr will likely be just the start of the place the Girl Rams aspire to be.

“It exhibits that we’re able to make a leap,” Bailey stated. “We simply should do the work within the offseason to get higher and be able to roll subsequent yr.”