Like she never left
Ashley Rininger’s return propels Lady Flames to victory over High Point
Welcome back — Ashley Rininger looks to pass during the Lady Flames win over High Point. Rininger finished with eight points and six rebounds in her return from injury. Photo credit: Michela Diddle
Redshirt senior forward Ashley Rininger returned to the court after missing the last nine games to help the Liberty University Lady Flames (12-8, 9-2) defeat the High Point Panthers (7-13, 6-5) 56-43 Saturday, Jan. 30 in the Vines Center.
Rininger, the Big South Conference preseason women’s basketball player of the year, suffered a knee injury in the Lady Flames 79-41 loss Dec. 17 against the No. 11 Duke Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina.
Before the injury, Rininger averaged 13.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.
“(Returning) was great,” Rininger said. “It’s just so much fun to be out there and play with the team again. I forgot how much I loved it.”
Rininger picked up where she left off, finishing the game with eight points, six rebounds and two assists in just 14 minutes of play.
“(Rininger) ran the floor, got around the basket, got some offensive boards and stick backs,” Lady Flames Head Coach Cary Green said. “It is good to have her back. The team seemed to be on a rhythm and she seemed to join it. Adding her is going to be an additional bullet in our gun.”
Intense — Jaymee Fisher-Davis drives against a defender during Saturday’s win. Photo credit: Michela Diddle
The first quarter of the contest was an ugly one, with both teams combining for a total of 16 turnovers. The Lady Flames held the Panthers to four points in the first 10 minutes of play.
Despite the slow start, Green was proud of his team’s early intensity on the defensive side of the ball.
“I felt like we began the game in the first quarter with a lot of energy, especially on the defensive end,” Green said. “I have to be pleased with our defensive effort throughout tonight.”
The Lady Flames forced 20 Panther turnovers, but had 24 turnovers of their own.
“We were struggling with keeping our focus,” Green said. “A lot of unforced turnovers took away from our offensive opportunity. We just (have) to get better at that. It is disappointing that we do not value the ball.”
Senior forward Katelyn Adams matched her season-high in points with 11, while pulling down seven rebounds. The Lady Flames had two straight possessions in the second quarter where Adams grabbed offensive rebounds and scored a layup while drawing a foul.
“I just made sure I was in position,” Adams said. “Coach Green always focuses on rebounding, (and) getting rebounds is big for me. I know that is something I can do, so I just work hard to do that.”
Senior guard Jaymee Fisher-Davis nailed two threes on the Lady Flames first two possessions of the fourth quarter for a 45-26 lead and helped seal the deal for her team.
Rininger made her presence known again when she took a charge on a fast break attempt for the Panthers in the fourth quarter. Rininger was slow to get up, and the collision served as a welcome back to the court.
“I was hoping I could take a charge today,” Rininger said. “I like taking charges. It was one of those moments that could bring a lot of energy to the team.”
Rininger said she was ahead of schedule in her recovery from knee surgery, and she looks forward to playing in as many games as her knee allows her.
“Getting as many games in as I can is really important to prepare me for (the) Big South (Tournament) and (the) NCAA (tournament),” Rininger said.
Rininger and the rest of the Lady Flames are currently tied with UNC Asheville for first place in the Big South with nine conference games remaining this season.
DILLARD is a sports reporter.