On Feb. 25, Park girls basketball faced Armstrong in their first section play-off game, coming out on top with a score of 56-43 at home. The game started off close, with the first section concluding in a score of 21-15, but Park finished off the game strong, gaining 33 more points in the second period, securing their spot in the next postseason section game.
Park girls varsity basketball head coach John Hayes said the team started off playing at a slower pace due to the fact that many girls on the team had never played in a section game before. He said winning this section’s home game is a good step in the right direction for the team and the lively cheer section helped lift the energy up.
“(The game) got off to a slow start but (it was) a lot of the players’ first time ever playing in a playoff basketball game, so it was to be expected, but we knew that if we weathered the storm, we would continue to wear (Armstrong) out, and that’s what we did,” Hayes said. “This (win) is huge and the environment was amazing, (there were) a ton of young girls out (watching) and a ton of community members out here supporting the team.”
Junior Abigail Carlson said the team prepared to go against the Falcons by paying attention to their past plays and staying ready to combat any obstacles that Armstrong might throw in their way. When asked what the highlight of the game was, she said eighth grader Kailoni Johnson’s point shot right before halftime helped unify the team and raise spirits going into the second period.
“(To prepare for the game) we went over a lot of (Armstrong’s) plays, offense, defense and made sure that we were prepared for anything they threw at us, and also worked on team camaraderie so we could have team chemistry,” Carlson said. “I think Kaloni’s three-pointer right before halftime was really good (and) brought the (teams) energy up, and that definitely helped us go in the second half positively.”
Middle schooler Erlande Lonsdale said the game was very successful, especially the team’s defense, and this win meant a lot to the team. She said the team prepared against Armstrong and worked on defending strategies against specific players.
“(The game went) very well, we played as a team and played really well on defense—(this win) means a lot because this is (the team’s) first section win in a really long time,” Lonsdale said. “We worked on defending (Armstrong’s) plays and made sure (Armstrong player) #34 didn’t get the ball as much in the paint.”
Carlson said winning this game is exciting for the team since Park girls basketball has not won a section playoff game in a while, and since it was a home game, there were a lot of community members there cheering on the team.
“(This win) means a lot, this is our first section win for a while, and (since) it was a home game, a lot of people came out so it was really fun and definitely a great experience (to share with) the team,” Carlson said. “The energy was really good, and I thought it was a fun game to play great. (I) love our team.”
According to Lonsdale, the team’s recent kneeling during the national anthem represents taking a stand for their community and in solidarity with anyone being targeted by ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement).
“(Kneeling) represents our community (standing against) ICE because some of our classmates and friends can’t even go to school or outside (for safety concerns) so we want to kneel for them,” Lonsdale said.
According to Hayes, the team was well prepared for the game and their prior experience playing with Armstrong earlier in the season helped out. He said their next game against Hopkins High School will be challenging, but Park will try their best and give them a good competition.
“We had two great days of preparation (before this game), we practiced on Monday and Tuesday (and) we watched a bunch of film on Armstrong. We had played them previously in the season, so we knew somewhat what to expect,” Hayes said. “(Our next game against Hopkins), they’re going to be a tough opponent. Hopkins is one of the best teams in the state, coming off a state title, but we’re gonna give them a run for the money.”
