Cheers from the red and white crowd echoed through the gym with girls basketball at the center of the commotion. Our girls secured the win over Oak Hills in their first game of the season with a score of 55-49. Although Oak Hills played a strong game with a late comeback in the third and fourth quarter, Redondo’s composure and clutch scoring carried them to the win.

Due to the game being the first of the season, the team knew they had to go into it with a positive attitude, but there were still some nerves from the girls, especially those playing their first high school game.

“I was a little nervous but also excited because it was my first game ever—like my first high-school game,” Freshman Era Hoey said. “But I was pretty much excited most of the time.”
From the first tip-off, our girls played with an aggressive mindset, with their strong transition offense giving them a 10 point lead over Oak Hills at the end of the first quarter. For freshman Era Hoey, focus and positivity were key parts of settling into the game.
“I realized that you just got to go in thinking that you’re going to do great. I just had that mentality throughout the game,” Hoey said. “I feel like I could have made better decisions [shooting wise], but I think I did okay.”

Fatigue crept up on the girls in the second quarter, with Oak Hills capitalizing on their decreased sharpness to lessen the Sea Hawk’s lead to only five points, at 30-25. According to senior captain Chloe Choy, the team learned from the second quarter and adapted their play during halftime.

“[During the second quarter] they got more transition buckets on our side rather than us getting it all,” Choy said. “The biggest adjustment was staying poised and having good composure when we were under pressure. We made the adjustment at halftime, so we were able to come back during the third quarter.”

After adapting their style of play, the Sea Hawks kept their lead throughout the third quarter, with their sharp passes and quick rebounds giving them the edge over Oak Hills. The team’s captains played a key role in keeping each player focused.

“I tried to reassure my teammates that we were all good. I’ve been doing this for four years, so I use my experience to help them. I’m really happy with how we responded and how we were able to fight back after the second quarter,” Choy said.

The captain’s guidance was tested in an intense fourth quarter. After a free throw for Oak Hills gave them a one point lead, the girls upped their aggression and gained back the lead, with three pointers by Choy and senior Abby Zimmerman finalizing the win.

“We were all on our feet, upbeat [once the game ended] and so happy because we realized that was it. We did a really good job,” Hoey said.

After a hard fought game, the Sea Hawks were able to reflect on their performance and hone in on their weaknesses to better prepare them for the games ahead.

“Maintaining good energy throughout the whole game is something we want to focus on,” Choy said. “Bouncing back from mistakes, no matter what happens, is key for us this season.”