Lady Gladiators:
The Lady Gladiators defended the dome against the Milford Lady Bulldogs. Both sides were aggressive to start the game with neither side willing to budge on the score board. After a couple of lead changes, the Lady Gladiators were leading after the 1st period 15-13.

A free throw from Alyssa Richards and another from her sister, Megan Richards, kept the Lady Gladiators in front 17-15. Then Jameka Copeland scored off an assist from Kaitlyn Rossa to increase Italy’s advantage 19-15.

Moments later, M. Richards drilled a 3-pointer to make the score 24-19 with 3:30 left in the 2nd. Rossa followed the three-bomb with back-to-back buckets to help Italy pull away 28-19.

Copeland added one more layup with 1:30 remaining in the half and Italy led at intermission, 30-20.

Lady Gladiator, Jimesha Reed, helped Italy stay in front all through the 3rd and into the 4th period with her ferocious low post play. Italy held on to a 44-38 advantage with 5:23 left in the game.

A Reed free throw made the score 47-40 followed by a Jaleecia Fleming rebound and put back to push the home team’s lead to 49-40. Milford gave a valiant effort but the Italy defense was relentless while their superior size dominated the boards. The Lady Gladiators finished on top 53-40 to the delight of their fans.

Coach Stacy McDonald’s Lady Gladiators improve to 1-4 on the season as they look ahead to the Italy Tournament, December 3-5. Milford does not have JV gilrs squad so Italy’s JV Lady Gladiators had the night off.

Italy JV Gladiators:
The Italy JV Gladiators were experiencing lead changes in their 1st period matchup with the Palmer Bulldogs as well. A Cole Hopkins 3-pointer, with 0:10 left tied Palmer 10-10 but the Bulldogs quickly scored before the buzzer to take a 12-10 lead going into the 2nd.

Larry Mayberry scored inside to tie the game again at 12-all. Brandon Souder scored on the block to make it 14-12, but Palmer tied it back up. Kyle Jackson made it 16-14, Italy. Then Jackson passed to Ethan Saxon on the fast break and Saxon’s fall away jumper, in the paint, swished to make it 18-14. However, Palmer tied the game once again with 3:06 left before half.

Italy Head Coach Larry Mayberry seemed as they he might pull his hair out, only he didn’t have any. Italy’s Mayberry (Coach Mayberry’s son) scored again to make it 20-18 in favor of the JV Gladiators. However, you guessed it, Palmer tied the game yet again.

Italy’s Jase Holden scored 4 back-to-back fast break points giving the JV Gladiators a 24-20 edge. Bubba Itson drove the lane to make the score 26-20 and then added a 3-pointer to give Italy a 29-24 halftime cushion.

Even the fly didn’t want to be on the wall during the halftime speech from Coach Mayberry to his young team.

Both Italy and Palmer put the defensive clamps on each other in the 3rd as the JV Gladiators were nursing a 36-32 lead to start the 4th.

Mayberry hit 1-of-2 free throws to make the score 37-32. The Bulldogs, however, made a run to pull within 1-point, 37-36.

Bubba Itson sent the Bulldogs a message when he scored and drew the and-1. Itson’s sunk the free throw (along with Palmer’s momentum), to give Italy a 40-36 advantage.

Holden scored 5 of Italy’s next 7-points, including a 3-pointer, to put pressure on Palmer who now trailed 47-36. Palmer was unable to overtake the JV Gladiators in the final minutes and Italy survived the Bulldog attack 55-46.

Italy Gladiators:
It took the Italy Gladiators a bit to realize football season had ended after only managing a touchdown in the 1st period against Palmer. The Bulldogs led 11-7 going into the 2nd.

De’Andre Sephus scored 2 consecutive baskets to keep Italy within striking distance, 15-11 with 3:30 to go before half. A Jasenio Anderson assist to Oscar Gonzalez made the score 15-13 and then a Colton Campbell 3-pointer pulled Italy within 1-point, 17-16.

Heath Clemons gave Italy the lead, with 1:10 left in the half, 18-17. Palmer tied it at 18, but Italy’s Campbell was fouled inside hitting 1-of-2 to give the Gladiators a 19-18 lead at the break.

Palmer tied the score 19-19 but Italy’s defensive pressure turned it up a notch in the 3rd period and 4 straight points by John Isaac gave Italy a 23-19 lead.

After Isaac scored again at the 3:54 mark, the Gladiators were enjoying a 31-20 advantage. Italy then broke out on a fast break and a frustrated Palmer player picked up a flagrant-1 foul after shoving Ryan Ashcraft who was going in for a layup. Ashcraft hit the 2nd of two free shots to give Italy a 32-20 lead. The Gladiators took a 34-22 lead into the final period.

The 4th was highlighted by a dazzling layup from Italy’s Jasenio Anderson who was fouled by two Palmer players on a drive to the basket. Anderson one-handed the ball up to the rim where it bounced in. Anderson nailed the and-1 and Italy went on to dispose of the Bulldogs 56-34 to improve their record to 2-0.

Both Gladiator JV and Varsity squads will play again Tuesday, December 1, in Italy, with the JV starting at 5:00 p.m. followed by the Varsity at 6:30 p.m.

All four of Italy’s JV and Varsity boys and girls squads will be competing in the Italy Tournament beginning Thursday, December 3 and wrapping up on Saturday, December 5. Game times are TBA.