Basketball Briefs

J.E.B. Stuart Girls

The J.E.B. Stuart girls snapped a three-year winless streak Dec. 18 with a victory over Barrie High School, 47-23. The win was the first of the season for the Lady Raiders, who had previously dropped contests to George Mason High, McLean, Centreville, Oakton and Bishop Walsh.

Sophomore center Betty Appiah led the offense against Barrie with 15 points, while teammate Vazquez added 13. The Raiders subsequently lost their next game against Washington and Lee 62-23 Dec. 21.

J.E.B. Stuart Boys

After topping McLean 60-47 Dec. 10, the Raider boys are still looking for their second victory of the season. Currently their record stands at 1-4 after falling to Washington and Lee Dec. 21.

A strong second half against McLean that saw Stuart outscore its opponent 34-18 supplied the margin of victory after trailing by three points at halftime. Nader Shehadeh led the Raiders with 17 points, while Dionte Beatty and Derrick Bowman each added 11. Michael Jones contributed nine in the victory.

McLean Girls

McLean High School's girls varsity basketball team opened its season to the tune of a 2-4 start, topping both Wakefield and J.E.B. Stuart to account for its wins.

This year's team is led by seniors Mary Ellen Pascoe and Ginna Altmeyer and sophomore Ashleigh Cole. "We're looking to turn around a program that has grown too accustomed to losing," Head Coach Michael O'Brien said. "We have a very young team and will rely on our seniors for leadership."

Last season the Highlanders finished with a 5-17 mark, 1-13 in the district. After pulling to 2-1 this year with a win over Stuart, the team has dropped three straight, including a narrow, three-point loss to Madison and a lopsided game against George C. Marshall 67-13 on Dec. 21.

McLean Boys

The McLean High School boys basketball team is still searching for its first win of the season, sputtering to an 0-7 record to start the 2004-05 season.

Expectations were modest coming into the season, playing in the tough Liberty District and having lost a number of players to graduation including Graham Hardock (10 points per game), Geoff Schrager (six ppg, six rebounds per game), Derek Ford (7 ppg, 4 assists per game). That trio helped lead the Highlanders to an 8-14 record last season.

This year, seniors John Oldenburg and Basem Ammoury return with junior Josh Shapiro and sophomore James Pascoe to try and improve on the Highlanders' fifth-place finish last season. Most recently the Highlanders fell to Ballard High 75-52 last Monday, Dec. 27 in a holiday tournament in Chantilly.