Cedars’ junior guard chats about beating Township, 8-game winning streak

Caution: Ridiculously red-hot.

Lebanon’s girls’ basketball team is on a major roll.

The Cedars won their eighth game in a row Tuesday night, dispatching Section 1 sole leader Manheim Township 32-25 in an L-L League crossover game on the Blue Streaks’ home court in Neffsville.

Lebanon is 7-2 in league games and 11-3 overall, and the Cedars are alone in second place in the Section 2 hunt, a game behind Solanco, whom Lebanon beat in 55-51 in overtime on Jan. 11 – that was win No. 5 during this streak, which began with a 52-20 romp over Exeter in the first round of the Lebanon Holiday Tournament on Dec. 29.

Lebanon’s last loss? A 51-32 crossover setback to Penn Manor way back on Dec. 23 in Millersville. And the Cedars got some revenge from that game on Dec. 30, when Lebanon knocked off the Comets 45-34 in the Lebanon Holiday Tournament title game – victory No. 2 during this streak.

Lebanon coach Carlos Sanchez – who earned his 200th career victory when the Cedars topped Elizabethtown on Jan. 15 – has developed a reliable 8-player rotation, and while no players are averaging double-digits in points, the ringleader and floor general has been point guard Brittany Padillas, who steers the ship on offense and defends like crazy.

Padillas, Liz Rios and Gemiqua Benjamin are all juniors, and have all been starting since their freshman season for Sanchez. The fruit of their labors – and taking some lumps early on in their careers – is finally paying off.

Junior Jess Rivera and soph Sadie Eisenhour have slipped into starting roles this season and bring flexibility – and shooting ability – to the starting unit.

Speaking of shooting ability … Lebanon has 52 3-pointers, most in the L-L League.

Padillas leads the team with 16 treys. She had a pair of 3-pointers and 9 points Tuesday at Township, when the Cedars opened the game on a 16-1 run, withstood Township’s furious second-half comeback, and held on late after sinking several clutch foul shots.

I chatted with Padillas after the game about the big win over Township, about the eight-game winning tear, and about what’s making the Cedars click.

You can listen to the interview by clicking on the ‘play’ button above.

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