Howard girls basketball’s mentality was simple: “We need to keep fighting and play aggressive.”
The short-handed Lions were without two senior starters, Brynn Bartlett and Alana Harrison, because of injury. Both veterans account for a combined 27 points per game as integral components on both ends of the floor.
In their absence against No. 9 Glenelg, the Lions relied on the collective. Several players stepped up and delivered key contributions including sophomore Kelsey Wimmer and senior Mariyah Hammock in a 51-48 win.
“I just thought it was a great team win,” Howard coach Scott Robinson said. “I thought everybody else just stepped up. I thought they played so hard. I think they played their hearts out and it was just a great team win. We were very unselfish with the ball.”
Hammock was particularly pivotal throughout the fourth quarter. She scored six of her 11 points in the final eight minutes, four of which came at the foul line. At 5-foot-10, Hammock hauled in several clutch rebounds that prevented the Gladiators from getting second-chance opportunities.
She did all of that while navigating having four fouls for much of the final quarter. Hammock disregarded that foul trouble and focused on remaining mentally prepared.
Her final two points were her biggest of the evening. With 1:26 remaining, Wimmer delivered a perfect pocket pass to Hammock, who was rolling toward the rim on a pick and roll. She drew a foul and confidently buried both free throws, which pushed the Lions’ advantage to two possessions.
“One thing I do is make sure I block out the crowd because it’s a lot of outside noise,” Hammock said. “I make sure I stay [within] myself and stay calm and don’t let the crowd get to me. It’s a great feeling and once you get going, it’s like you can’t stop.”
Howard (8-3, 3-1 Sierra Division) executed at its best defensively down the stretch. The Lions held the Gladiators to four points in the final four minutes to close out the win.
Howard and Glenelg entered Wednesday’s contest first and fourth in the county, respectively, in points per game. The Lions showed off their dynamic offense early, finding open shooters in the corners and on the wings for three 3-pointers.
However, the Gladiators (7-3, 1-1 Sierra) hit their stride in the second quarter led by MJ Dabiri. The versatile frontcourt player found openings on off-ball cuts and carved up the Lions’ defense with six of her 10 points, which gave Glenelg a one-point halftime advantage.
Things quickly changed in the second half. Howard executed a 10-1 run in the opening three minutes of the third to take its largest lead of the game. The Lions adjusted their defense to limit Dabiri’s effectiveness, and it worked as she was shutout for the final 16 minutes. While Dabiri was held in check, Stephanie Bunker caught fire and brought the Gladiators back within one after three quarters.
The game was tied for much of the fourth quarter until Kadirah Carroll, who’d seen several 3-pointers rim out earlier in the game, connected on an open triple from the wing to put Howard ahead with 3:43 remaining. The Lions didn’t relinquish the lead the remainder of the game and passed a challenging test without some of their top players.
Wednesday night’s game was uncharted territory for the Lions. Given their storied tradition and consistent run of success under Robinson’s leadership, the Lions are rarely a perceived underdog in county contests. In fact, it’s often the opposite where the Lions have a target on their back as a perennial top team.
Yet, facing a resurgent and talented Glenelg team, Howard relished its position. The Lions thrived in that role reversal and displayed their gumption, handing the Gladiators’ their first county defeat of the season.
“We had a little bit of that underdog mentality, I guess that motivated us to keep fighting,” Wimmer said. “When you’re expected to be the underdog, it totally gives you a push into, ‘We got this.’ When odds are against you, you can never look down on yourself. You have to keep up on the bright side and just make sure you have each other’s backs.”
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Ho- 12 9 17 13- 51
G- 7 15 15 11- 48
Ho: Kelsey Wimmer 19, Mariyah Hammock 11, Maggie McCarthy 11, Paige Watson 5, Kadirah Carroll 3, Raymah Quist-Therson 2.
G: Stephanie Bunker 19, MJ Dabiri 10, Emmy Dello Russo 8, Skyler Mitchner 6, Ava Karbacka 3, Madison Perry 2.