By Chris Stevens, Editor
Starting three first year players in a state tournament game can only make the Hodgson girls’ basketball team better in the future.
Monday night, the youthful Silver Eagles got off to a good start, leading by as many as 28 points en route to a 64-42 win over Flight A rival Middletown in the first round of the DIAA girls’ basketball tournament.
“This has been a special season in hopes of just getting through it,” Hodgson head coach Chris Jones said. “I’m pleased with the girls’ growth. They’re learning how to stay disciplined. I see them getting better and better every day.”
“We play a good combination of team ball, so to get the win is exciting,” added first-year guard Maya Braxton-Young, who paced Hodgson with 22 points and eight assists. “It’s a great feeling.”
Hodgson was never seriously challenged as Braxton-Young, first-year forward Thailys Torres and junior guard Ni’Yonna Saunders combined for 19 first quarter-points to open up a 20-5 lead after one. The Silvers Eagles kept attacking the rim and led 39-12 at the half before Middletown’s Lanay Smith started filling up the basket.
Smith scored 14 third quarter points (she finished with a game-high 26) to try and keep the Cavaliers in the hunt, but Hodgson went ahead 48-20 on a Ni’Yonna Saunders three-pointer midway through the third quarter. Jones was pleased with the effort, but also understands that with experience, his team will get better.
“When you start three freshmen, you learn to live with the growing mistakes,” Jones says. “There are times when the game looks glorious and other times when it’s not so glorious, but they’re going to get better.”
Saunders and Torres joined Braxton-Young in double figures with 12 and 10 points respectively. Hodgson moves on to face top-seeded St. Elizabeth Wednesday night at 6:30.
