The HHS girls’ basketball team secured their first win of the season on Wednesday, January 29th, defeating Maplewood Richmond Heights (MRH) 31-26 at MRH’s home. 
After the tough start to the season, the Tigers fought hard to come out on top. Strong defense, good communication, teamwork, and free throws mainly contributed to this win.
In the previous matchup against MRH eight days earlier, the Lady Tigers played MRH at home but fell short in a 26-39 loss. This time, the Lady Tigers were determined to redeem themselves, fighting hard until the final moments to secure a win at MRH’s home.
Aamira Wade (9) stood out as one of the top scorers, contributing 8 points. Her performance, along with strong teamwork and communication, helped on Hancock’s side.
“My motivation came from my teammates,” Wade said. “Since I couldn’t attend the home game against MRH, they provided me with tips on what we needed to do. This motivated me to play aggressively and a victory with my team.”
Teamwork was key to the Lady Tigers’ success. With strong communication and effort on both ends of the court, the team ensured they wouldn’t repeat their previous loss.
“We had control of the game when everyone was communicating and working together,” Wade said. “I felt like my passes were really good in this game; I provided most of my teammates with solid assists. We all worked well together, and if we hadn’t, we would have come up short and lost. However, since we never gave up and kept our heads in the game, we were dedicated.”
Wade expressed how much this win meant to her and the team, especially given their struggles earlier in the season. “I really just wanted to do it for my teammates, knowing we’ve had a losing streak. To break that streak, we had to put everything aside and motivate each other to take home the wins.”.
A’nia McKinney (11) was another star player, contributing 8 points to the Tigers’ victory.
The Lady Tigers entered the game knowing they had what it took to win. Their last matchup was a tough loss, but it showed them exactly what they needed to improve. “When we first played them, they should’ve never won, but that loss showed us we could beat them. We just had to stay positive, keep our heads in the game, work together, and communicate,” McKinney said.
From the start, the team felt like they were in control. They played with confidence, knowing they had learned from their mistakes. “Honestly, the whole game I felt like we were going to win. We had the game in our hands after losing last week,” said McKinney.
As the final seconds ticked away, the energy on the court was high. The Lady Tigers knew they were about to secure their first win of the season. “It felt so good, especially since it was our first win. It was the best feeling knowing that as time ran out, we were winning, and we had pushed so hard to make it happen,” McKinney said.
Head coach Laura Werner was proud of the team’s improvement, particularly their execution on defense. “We played better as a team overall when we played MRH the second time. We got in a bit of foul trouble, but we didn’t let that impact the outcome. We played a lot smarter defense in the fourth quarter, which was necessary for our win,” Werner said.
With five games left in the season and districts approaching, the Lady Tigers believe they can carry this momentum forward. “I have known all along that we are capable of winning games. I think mentality and pushing each other is something that will be beneficial going forward,” Werner added.
Looking ahead, Werner believes this win could be a turning point. “These games won’t be easy, but I think building on the MRH win and taking what we did well from that game will be the key to us playing well throughout the rest of the season,” she said.
Following their first win of the season against MRH, the Lady Tigers carried that energy into their next matchup, defeating Roosevelt (40-15) at the Tiger house. 
With another win, the Tigers are proving their determination and growth throughout the season. Their ability to adjust, communicate, and keep their heads in the game has been key in turning their season around.
The Lady Tigers currently sit at a 2-16 record with 4 games left for the regular season.
