Livingston

Defensive Toughness Leads To Offensive Success For LA’s Webb

Story and Photo by Kailee Means

One look at Livingston Academy Junior Keaton Webb in action will show you her value as a three-and-D type basketball player.

Webb does not go unnoticed at either end of the court, and she makes her impacts by knocking down threes to help stretch the floor, and doing the little things like crashing the boards. She’s also a staunch defender, and like many others in her position, Head Coach Leslie Riddle believes that side of the game is crucial to being successful on offense.

“We believe that if you don’t play defense, then you shouldn’t get to play offense,” Riddle said. “(Webb) never stops playing it even if she is missing shots and she continues to press hard.”

One of her best games came late last week, as she led all scorers with 22 points in a win over Clay County on Saturday. Performances like that are no accident, as Riddle says that Webb spends a lot of time outside of practice working on her game.

“A lot of gym time,” Riddle said when asked about what kind of hard work goes into being that good of a shooter. “We had open gym six times a week (in the summer), and she was there almost every time working on her game, shooting and ball-handling. Once she started to have success, her confidence just grew. She can score anytime on anybody.”

Webb is no stranger to scoring, as she points out she was relied on for that in junior high ball. When she got to the high school level however, that is when she says she knew that she would have to toughen up on defense to be successful.

“In middle school, I had a big role in scoring, and then you go into high school and you have to know how to play defense,” Webb said. “If you don’t play defense, you aren’t going to play at all.”

From her freshman year to now, Webb has toughened up a lot both physically and mentally. To do so, she says got a lot of help from her family, but she also knew she needed to mature as a basketball player.

“My father, he’s been on me since my freshman year,” Webb said. “Honestly, just learning the game, figuring everything out and realizing that you have to grow up to be able to play (is important).”

It all has paid off, as Webb has now stepped into a leadership role on the team. That aspect is one that Riddle believes might be the junior’s most important contribution to the Lady Cats.

“As a sophomore, she was a little standoffish and a little afraid to be the one to step up and take over,” Riddle said. “(Now), she is a team leader and she is vocal, especially in practice, and does a really good job at that.”

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