Lady Titans sophomore Victoria Brown is playing her best ball when it counts most

The Central Georgia Tech Lady Titans are continuing their hot streak of play, winning their GCAA tournament first round meeting with the East Georgia State Lady Bobcats, 65-57, in Macon on Tuesday night. The win streak is now at six games and the victory pushes the Lady Titans back into the conference tournament quarterfinals, giving the Lady Titans another chance to qualify for a ticket to the National Junior College Athletic Association tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas. They missed out last season and this March have a better chance due to many reasons including the much improved play of sophomore guard Victoria Brown. A starter throughout the season, Brown is on a hot streak of her own and the team is much better because of it.

“They have been true leaders and great inspirations to our freshmen group,” said Lady Titans head coach Antonio Harris of Brown and fellow sophomore team leader Fredricka Sheats. “The way they have performed all season -Brown is averaging 10.6 points and over three assists and three rebounds per game while Sheats is the team’s leading scorer at 17.4 points per game- and on Saturday is a staple of how they want to be remembered.”

Brown, a former Warner Robins High School star, started her final season at Central slowly but has come on of late. Brown has scored 63 points over the last three games, including 20 points (4-8 from three) and eight assists on Tuesday night. On Saturday, Sophomore Night, Brown scored 20 points (5-10 from three) and dished six assists in a 79-56 victory over Andrew College. The previous Wednesday night’s game, on the road at Southern Crescent Technical College she scored a season high 23 points (5-10 from three) to go with 10 rebounds and three assists.

How well is Brown playing compared to the first half of the season? She didn’t break the 20 point mark until Jan. 16 in a victory at East Georgia State College. Since that game Brown has scored 20-plus points four times, not including a 19-point game in a loss at South Georgia Tech on Feb. 2.

Everything I’m doing is for my team,” said Brown on Wednesday morning. “My role has become bigger and bigger as the season has progressed and it was a little challenging at first but finally I got it together when it counted the most.”

The Lady Titans have suffered a few key injuries this season and even dealt with four separate three-game losing streaks this season, but are now back at .500 at 15-15. “This team has faced a lot of adversity so everybody’s role is important not just one of two players,” added Brown. “Our goal is to win the conference tournament and I’ll do anything to reach that goal.”

Brown’s 33.9 percent shooting from three is also much improved from last season and earlier this season. “As an individual I try to bring the energy and set the tempo,” said Brown. “All season coach [Harris] has preached the three E’s: energy, effort and enthusiasm.”

Thus far that has seemed to work for the Lady Titans and for Brown too. The Lady Titans will face Georgia Highlands College in the conference tournament semifinals on Friday (7:30 pm) at South Georgia Tech in Americus.