HC Girls’ Basketball is set to embark on another season, and the squad is excited for the upcoming journey. With a winning record of 22-11 last season, the team is back again and is looking to make a run towards the state tournament this year. This year’s squad has a revamped roster with a variety of speed and talent distributed throughout the court. The team is looking to take down regional rivals Frederick Douglass High School and Franklin County High School, a challenge necessary for them to reach their end goal of Region 11 champions. HC senior and guard Jada Henderson provides information on the Lady Devils’ upcoming season.
Last year, the team lost a large number of seniors, but Henderson sees it as a fresh start for the group, and an opportunity for new players to develop.
“Last year we graduated seven seniors,” Henderson said. “So, it’s like a completely rebuilt team. We still have the same end goal to get to state, and it’s just like a new team with a new core around it.”
With communication being an area of improvement needed from last year, the team has been working hard in the offseason to improve in that area.
“One difficulty we faced [last year] was man to man defense, and also communication,” Henderson said. “Coming into this year [the team] has stressed communication. We’ve tried to hang out and do more team bonding in order to be better all around with communicating with each other.”
As for every program, end goals are set for the team at the beginning of the season.
“The overall goal is, of course, to win districts,” Henderson said. “Then regions, and hopefully get to state.”
HC is not the only talented team in the area though. Henderson looks forward to a variety of rivalry games the team will face this year.
“I think Frederick Douglass is always a big rival,” Henderson said. “One of our girls from last year actually went to Douglass this year to play basketball, so they’re always a big rival. But I think our biggest opponent would be Franklin County, because to make it we would have to beat Franklin.”
Although the team may lack the height that a lot of other teams have, this year’s roster is filled with other strengths.
“Even though we’re small, we’re fast,” Henderson said. “Everybody can run the floor and we can play good defense.”
The Lady Devils tip off their season at home on Monday, December 2nd, against Franklin County High School at 7:30 PM.
