The girls varsity basketball team played in their highly anticipated home-opener against Paint Branch this past Tuesday night. The Panthers were considered a very competitive match-up, so the Rockets were relieved to pull-off a 66-52 win. “We had this game circled on our calendar for a while,” explained Coach Oakes. This victory improves RM’s record to 3-0.

The team was fully prepared for the big game. They completed a detailed scouting report of their opponent and watched film from the Panthers’ previous matches. When the time came, the Rockets knew where to strike to gain the advantage.

RM dominated the first quarter while Paint Branch struggled to get things started. The Panthers had difficulty running plays and inbounding the ball, which gave the Rockets a chance to intercept passes. Senior guard Karon Williams maneuvered around the circle smoothly and led her team with 8 points to a 19-10 lead by the end of the quarter.

By the second quarter, both teams knew it would be a high-fouling game. RM was ready for the challenge – they did their best to keep players out of foul trouble and rack up points from free-throws. Senior forward Melanie Osborne came to life with swift drives through the Panthers’ defense in the paint. The Rockets remained in control, and the score at the half was 38-24 with RM in the lead.

As the game heated up in the third quarter, both teams began with a full-court press. However, the Rockets had another trick up their sleeve – a brand new press-break. With Osborne inbounding the ball, RM was able to navigate the Panthers’ heavy defense by creating open passing lanes. “We knew Paint Branch runs a very particular defensive press, and we wanted to break it,” said senior guard Deedee Yan.

The victory was truly a collaborative effort. As Paint Branch desperately sought to shut down Osborne, other teammates stepped in to keep the points coming. Senior center Nusaibah Rashad and freshman guard Ellie Tounkara helped the Rockets maintain their lead in the fourth quarter by making free-throws.

However, the Panthers were not ready to accept defeat. They found themselves in deep foul trouble while RM took the opportunity to expand the lead. Despite a few miscalculated passes in the final stretch, the Rockets were able to hold on to win 66-52.

The victory proved that RM was a mature team capable of staying calm and controlled.  “The word of the game was ‘poised’,” commented Yan.

The Rockets hope to improve their record to 4-0 as they travel to Holton-Arms tonight.

Featured photo by Lifetouch