Blazers destroy Colonels, 62-27

NELSON H. KOBREN GYMNASIUM, Jan. 30 –

Blair's girls' varsity basketball team (7-8) soundly defeated the Magruder Colonels (3-12) Friday night with a spectacular score of 62-27. The Lady Blazers dominated in the first half and maintained their momentum until the very end.

Both the Blazers and Colonels began aggressively, frequently falling on top of each other and grabbing each other in order to maintain possession. After several scoreless runs from both teams, junior point guard Inkera Patterson finally broke through the Colonel defense to start the scoring and set her up for a career high 23 points.

Even though the Blazers led 10-5 after the first quarter, Magruder challenged Blair's offense through solid rebounding and defense. But, by the second quarter, the Lady Blazers took the upper hand in the game. A speedy Patterson was constantly able to break through Magruder's defense, while reliable junior guard Janet Henkai sunk shots from the perimeter. In a burst of energy, the Blazers closed the second quarter with a 32-13 lead.

Henkai was proud of her team's ability to maintain a sound lead in the first half. "We were able to stay in it and be positive," she said.

Blair's momentum only continued to rise, as the Lady Blazers walked back onto the court with total assurance after halftime. Freshman forward Chanel Aldridge strengthened Blazer defense through consecutive blocks and steals, allowing Blair to score nine unanswered points. Although Magruder got past Blair's defense to score ten points, the Blazers still managed to dominate with a 45-23 lead after the third.

Aldridge, who scored five points, attributed Blair's domination to the players' skills, along with teamwork. "We had a lot of cheering, energy and bonding time," she said.

By the fourth quarter, the Colonels were noticeably tired, in contrast to the energetic and determined Blazers, who continuously forced the Colonels to commit numerous turnovers and fouls. Unlike the Colonels, Blair was offensively clear of mistakes, taking advantage of every hole in Magruder's defense to scrape up more points. In the end, the Lady Blazers took advantage of their stepped-up play and weak opponents to cruise to a 35-point win.

For Henkai, the Blazers' game play was solid throughout. "This was one of our first games where we really played all four quarters of basketball," she said.

Head coach Erin Conley agreed with Henkai, although she believed that her players still have to work on specific skills, such as moving, pushing the ball and boxing out. "We were consistent and confident," she said. "In the future, we need continued improvement to build to a winning record and winning team."

Despite the need to improve, Patterson is excited about the remainder of the girls' season. "We're ready to play," she said with a grin.

The Blazers' next home game is Wednesday, Feb. 4 against Richard Montgomery at 5:15 p.m.