Blair varsity girls’ basketball wins against Northwest on senior night

Blair’s Varsity Girls’ Basketball team (13-5) beat the Northwest Jaguars (3-15) by a score of 56-27 on Friday night. The highly successful and spirited senior night celebrated center Adia Keene, guard Zoe Abramson, and guard-forward Lucy Martin.

Keene started the night out strong by winning the tip-off and immediately making a two-pointer. Despite a few missed shots and fouls, Blair was successfully able to limit Northwest to 5 points in the first quarter. The Blazers left the Jaguars struggling to shoot, and they continuously obtained defensive rebounds leading to more scoring opportunities. Blair’s 9-5 lead after the first quarter only grew as the night went on. 

Junior guard Kate Hildebrandt was a powerful offensive force in the second quarter, scoring eight points. Fierce passes and visible communication kept Blair on their path to victory. The Blazers shot well throughout the game, with 15 points from Hildebrandt, 10 points from sophomore guard Emily Liu, and 7 points from Lucy Martin. Despite several riskyshots in the third quarter from Blair, Northwest could not make a comeback. This led to Blair’s ultimate 56-27 victory.  

This game marked a comeback from recent losses to Churchill and Walter Johnson due to offensive issues. Coach Ferguson highlighted the Blazers’ success with layups throughout the game. “We’ve talked a lot at practice about getting the ball to the paint, not necessarily always having to score from the paint, but getting that opens up shots. We got the ball in the paint a lot tonight, which was good and that got us the layups,” Ferguson said. 

Defense was another highlight of the game. Hildebrant, Liu, and Keene were able to collectively steal the ball 11 times, contributing to the subsequent offensive success. “It’s actually funny. We spent most of the year in man or a 3-2 zone but tonight we decided to switch things up and it worked,” Keene said. Different rotations and intensity led to a lot of deflections and Northwest turnovers. The Blazers possessed the ball for a large part of the game. 

 Following the victory, seniors discussed how Blair basketball has shaped them. “This program is really special for me,” Keene said. Lucy Martin agreed. “This team will always have a place in my heart. I’ve been with Coach Ferg for four years and every year I’ve enjoyed it,” she said. 

Ferguson shared the sentiment. “These girls have been with me since my first year on JV, so it’s pretty special to see them go all the way. I think that they’re having a great senior year and they’re playing to their potential, which is awesome,” she concluded.

The Blazers will play their next home game on Friday, February 21st against the Walt Whitman Vikings at 5:30 p.m. 

Editor’s Note: Lucy Martin is the photo editor for Silver Chips Print.