Blazers ice cold in loss to Springbrook

JAN. 6, NELSON H. KOBREN MEMORIAL GYMNASIUM—

Yet again the girls' basketball team struggled to make shots from the field and despite a late-game comeback, the Blazers lost to their bitter rivals, the Springbrook Blue Devils, 43-34. The highly favored Blue Devil team, which has only one loss this season, was bigger and stronger than the Blazers and played better team ball than the home team. The Blazers fall to 2-7, which includes a 58-49 victory over Thomas Stone over winter break.

The Blazers had a great deal of trouble making shots against a solid Springbrook defense in the first half leading to a miserable 26-11 halftime deficit. Blair shot a mere 18 percent from the field in a game lacking offensive production. The Blazers even missed two uncontested lay-ups in the third quarter. Their two leading scorers this season, senior center Emily Ramsay and sophomore center Kate Rassman, who average 10.3 points per game, were held to just a combined 1-22 from the field.

Ramsay felt that there was a medley of reasons why the Blazers received a tally in the loss column. "We need to run our plays and protect the ball. Everybody looked really confused and, unfortunately, our shots didn't fall," she said.

However the Blazers did play well on the defensive side of the ball, keeping Springbrook from running away with the game. Blair held the Blue Devils to 22 points below their season average. The team was also able to shutdown Springbrook star scorer Jada Richardson.

The Blazers once again were still alive in the forth quarter as they cut the big Springbrook lead to only five points late in the game. With the exception of a 60-37 loss to Friendly, the Blazers have still yet to lose a game by double figures.

Jawana Henderson, a raw, inexperienced player with good skills and plenty of upside, led the Blazer comeback with ten second half points. Although she may have played a sloppy first half, junior point guard Brittany Higgins led the team with 11 points.

The Blazers will next try their luck at home against Blake on Jan. 12 at 5:15 p.m. in a varsity doubleheader.