Hornets freeze Blazers

DEC. 20, NELSON H. KOBREN MEMORIAL GYMNASIUM-

Three days after Watkins Mill beat the team in a close match, the JV girls' basketball team was significantly outplayed by the undefeated Damascus Hornets (3-0), and lost 30-57. The Blazers dropped to 4-2 for the season. Blair's inconsistent offense and passive defense caused the squad to trail the Hornets the entire night.

Damascus, with several sharp-shooting team members, played an impressive game from the outside. The Hornets' aggressive defenders forced 22 turnovers, and their heavy man-to-man coverage made passing a battle for the Blazers. This opposition caused players such as freshman center Kymanhi West to make overly powerful passes that fell through the hands of her teammates or flew out of bounds.

The same destructive defense that helped Damascus win the game also left their team with 15 fouls during the first half alone. The Blazers, however, were unable to use their opponents' errors to their advantage and only made foul shots with 29 percent accuracy.

The Hornets' skilled ball handling and speedy plays led the team to an early start. Damascus' lead continued to increase as assertive players drove down the lane for back-to-back lay-ups. Sophomore Ebony Winfield managed five rebounds, but Blair's offense was unable to finish the plays. The first quarter ended 6-15, and the gap would only widen for the remainder of the game. During the next quarter, Damascus put away 20 points, taking their overall score to 35, and only allowed Blair six baskets, three of which were foul shots.

After halftime, Blair came back slightly reenergized. West drained three rebounds with 2:24, 1:41 and 56 seconds on the clock. Freshman Sara Ramsay shot two two-pointers and made two steals. In a combined effort, the Blazers scored a game high 12 points during the third period, and Damascus scored 20 points. In a much slower last quarter, Blair scored four points. Since each Hornet played about half the game, both the team's own exhaust and Blair's increased defense allowed Damascus to add just two points to the scoreboard.

West believes the team's defense needs the most work. "I think we can do better in that area," she expressed, "but we have great offense."

Coach Kristin Werdann, on the other hand, thinks just the opposite. "We weren't mentally prepared after Friday's loss," she said. "For the next game, we'll work on pass selection, receiving and offense."

Blair's next game is Wednesday, Dec. 22 at Magruder at 5:15 p.m.