On the evening of December 29, the empty hallways of North Point were once again filled as spectators filed into the gymnasium to watch the Girls’ Varsity Basketball Team take on Old Mill High School in the championship game of the Southern Maryland annual Hoops Classic. At the end of a hard fought game, the Lady Eagles were able to walk away with a 53-46 win.

        From the tip off, it was evident that the two teams were evenly matched, with a strong defense presented by both teams; the score very steadily increased with a lot of turn overs and blocked shots. For every basket scored by the Eagles, the Old Mill Patriots retaliated with points of their own. Despite this, the Eagles managed to maintain a steady lead, ending the quarter with a score of 11-8.

       The second quarter was largely a replay of the first, with complex plays put forth by both teams. Driven up largely by the efforts of Jessica George (’15), who scored 10 points throughout the course of the quarter. Continuing their strong defensive tactics and unwavering offensive attacks, the Eagles ended the half with a 29-20 lead.

      As the second half began, the Patriots came back strong, immediately taking possession and scoring, seemingly knocking the Lady Eagles off of their footing for a good chunk of the quarter. While the Eagles regained their composure after a few minutes, they seemed to be unable to hold on to the ball, as the Patriots continually stole possession and closed the gap between them. After a series of successful three pointers, the Eagles were able to hold on to their lead and ended the quarter up 48-37. Finally, the Lady Eagles completed the last quarter of the game strong, ending with a final score of 53-46 after a heated exchange of steals and defensive plays.

     As it was proven by their victory, the Lady Eagles have once again shown the effectiveness of a tight-knit and in-sync team. Once again, the girls have left spectators and opponents alike, looking forward to the team’s next move in what appears to be a promising season.