Blair puts on a show for Girls varsity Basketball senior night

On Friday, Feb. 14, Blair varsity girls’ basketball played their last home game against the Wheaton Knights and won in blowout fashion. It was senior night—a packed gym, with friends and family alike joining to celebrate the team's hard work throughout the season—so the pressure was on. But it was the perfect time and place for the team to put on a show, and they did exactly that.

Before the game, the team commemorated its 15 seniors, leading to a heartfelt walkout, acknowledging the last home game of their high school campaign. Friends and family joined them as they walked out, with the crowd serving as a supporting cast, cheering them on after each name was announced.

From tipoff, it was visually clear that the Blazers were playing with tons of intensity. Yet both teams struggled to find the basket in the opening minutes. But after a three-pointer from Wheaton to open the deadlock, worries arose about whether the game was going to be a struggle. They were promptly cut short, though, as Blair pushed the ball up the floor and drew a foul. They were awarded two shots, and both landed. Now, at 3-2, the student section cheered, and from there, it looked as if the Blazers never looked back.

After a series of trips to the free-throw line, senior center Marieme Sambe and senior center Emma Acqoui put Blair up to a comfortable lead of 9 late in the first quarter. The key to success for Blair in the first half had been fast breaks and rebounding, with Sambe leading the charge in that department. “We practice how we play. We always condition, we always practice hard, we push each other—that makes us play really hard in the game,” she said after the game.

Meanwhile, the crowd's energy resonated throughout the gym, with the drums, cheers, and chants from Blair Cheer making it known that it was Blair’s home court. Using this enthusiasm, the team's defense intensified, leading to a steal that resulted in an open layup for senior forward Lauren Mayn. Mayn has had a long three-year tenure as a captain for the team, and it was evident every time she got to the basket and added crucial points for the Blazers. “It's crazy the difference that energy can make,” she said. “When you see your friends and family in the stands, it may add a little bit of pressure, but it lifts up the team.”

Basketball photo

Photo: Senior forward Lauren Mayn tightly positioned in a double-team

Senior forward Lauren Mayn tightly positioned in a double-team Photo courtesy of Thea Womack.

In the closing minutes of the half, the game state turned sloppy, with passes not landing and turnovers from the Blazers becoming a recurring theme. Reflecting on this, Head Coach Jada Launi used timeouts and the halftime break to refine any offensive pitfalls. “We talked a lot about cleaning up the game in terms of limiting our turnovers, making good passes, and using that to execute on offense and defense,” she said.

This advice was shown when the Blazers came out for the second half, as they almost instantly made a three-pointer from the get-go. The team remained strong with fast breaks and rebounds, but it was clear their team cohesion was much better in this half. Because of this, the team got a huge 25-point lead, with senior forward Alegria Martins working as the distributor during fast breaks, being the main contributor to this set of points in the third. Wheaton struggled to find their footing, with shots constantly failing to connect and Blair’s two centers dominating under the rim. 

Surprisingly, the game's intensity did not falter despite the major point deficit. With the Blair players calling out their assignments and coverage, the final buzzer sounded, and the game came to an end. 

When asked about her thoughts, and what this game means for the postseason, Blair head coach Jada Launi commented “It just shows we are getting better every day, I don't think we have peaked as a team yet, it makes me look forward to what we have to come.”

It's not over yet this season for Blair varsity girls' Basketball. Be sure to support the team in their upcoming playoff game. Check the team's Instagram @Blazersgball for updates, and come cheer them on as they continue their season!