Image source: The Baltimore Sun

By Sara Yarnell

Features Editor

Defeated. 

February 27th, 2023一 the Hammond girls’ basketball team was set to host their first playoff game in recent memory against an undersized Middletown Knights team.

Although historically ranked as one of the most decorated programs in Hammond sports, the Lady Bears had fallen into a bit of a lull. In the past two decades, the program boasted a winning percentage of .217 with an overall record of 94-339, the worst in the county during that span. 

With the hiring of Coach Ayanna Jones the spring prior, the program looked to take a drastic turn. The Lady Bears won an astounding 17 games and took third in the county standings. They were determined to rebuild and redefine the narrative that had plagued their program for years.

But first, the team needed to win this playoff game. 

The Lady Bears held a steady lead for the majority of the game, but Middletown stayed within single digits. With two minutes left to go, compounding mistakes and poor decision-making heartbreakingly let the game slip right out of grasp. For a season crowded with newfound success, Middletown was a sour, excruciating loss. It left doubt: could the narrative really be changed after all? 

But the Lady Bears were resolute in their vision. And instead of ruminating on their feelings, they vowed to never let that kind of loss happen again. 

And it didn’t. 

Fast forward to November 2023 一 a new season had begun.

During the first team meeting of the year, players and coaches alike brought together a list of goals to share as a whole. Although most of their targets varied by person and individual skill set, there was one common goal: an undefeated, state championship season. 

After a hard-fought victory against rival Oakland Mills that officially began the regular season, the Lady Bears steamrolled ahead to three consecutive 60-point wins, including a 70-9 trucking of Marriotts Ridge. 

The program’s closest game of the year fell to the future state semi-finalist North Point Eagles. After a solid back-and-forth between the two teams for the majority of the game, the Eagles gained a five-point lead with three minutes to go. But, in a display of incredible perseverance, the Bears rallied as a team and pulled through on a game-winning layup by Nia Green, sealing her thirty-point performance. 

January brought new challenges to the unbeaten Lady Bears: the Howard Lions and the River Hill Hawks. The reigning state champions Lions entered the game against Hammond with a 64-game winning streak against in-county opponents, dating back to 2019. The Bears secured a statement win and ended the streak at 64. After taking care of business against Howard, the Lady Bears got the Hawks on the ropes early with some foul trouble and finished off with a confident double-digit victory. 

The Bears’ seniors shined during their Senior Night against Reservoir in front of a rowdy home crowd. Kayley Washington led the team with a 17-point masterclass, shooting 45% from behind the arc. Delani Thomas and Asia Mitchell ended with double-doubles, and Nia Green finished the homestand with a triple-double, her second of the year. 

A physical rematch of the opener at Oakland Mills wrapped up the perfect, undefeated regular season at 22-0一 but they had not reached their pinnacle. Even with their successes, the Bears’ focus remained on the greater task at hand: the 2A state championship. 

After breezing through Century in the second round and a poised win against Southern, the Bears were, for the first time in over two decades, region champions. A blowout in the state quarterfinal against Chesapeake would mark the final home game of the season. 

The state semifinal against Gwynn Park was electric一 a matchup between two incredibly athletic, tall, and talented teams. It was a game of runs: a competitive, physical back and forth. But even with early foul trouble, the Bears managed to stay in front at the end of the first half with three huge buckets by Delani Thomas. They battled hard for four quarters, with Kayley Washington and Asia Mitchell leading the defensive charge. With seconds left on the clock, key free throws sealed the game for the Bears. And just like that, the Hammond Girls’ Basketball team was headed to the state championship. 

Their final opponent would be a familiar one: the very first scrimmage under Coach Jones’ tenure was a blowout against the Francis Scott Key Eagles. Now, FSK stood as the last obstacle in this journey of success.

The first three-quarters of the game kept Hammond and FSK in a tight matchup, but a key block and subsequent assist by Nia Green turned the tides for the Bears. Asia Mitchell, despite injury, delivered one of her best performances of the season and led the team in both scoring and rebounds. Once they took the lead in the fourth, they never looked back. 

And by the time the final buzzer rang out at the Xfinity Center, the Hammond girls’ basketball program had achieved exactly what they had set out to become: undefeated. 

My name is Sara Yarnell and I am an editor for the Bear Press. I also happen to be a captain on this state championship-winning basketball team.

The impact that the Middleton game had on myself and my team was indescribable. It gave us a taste of success, a glimpse of our potential, and most importantly of all: something to chase after. It bred a hunger that brought us to the hard-won place we stand today. 

But at the end of the day, this incredible story of success is not mine to share alone. It belongs to my team, coaching staff, and the greater Hammond community. Thank you to all those who have supported us along the way, especially those who have been with us from the beginning. 

However, the biggest thanks go out to my teammates. It has been an enormous honor and blessing to share this with you all; your tenacity and constant dedication throughout this entire process have inspired me to work even harder every day. 

Although this may be the culmination of our success, I can assure you that it will not be the conclusion. 

Roll Bears.