Trojan Girls Finish Regular Season Undefeated

The Gaithersburg girls basketball team finished their 2010-2011 regular season undefeated Tuesday night, beating Watkins Mill 61-44.

"It feels good" about going undefeated for the first time in his coaching career, head coach Adrian McDaniel said. "I'm proud for the girls more than anything. They deserve it."

The win, though exciting, was icing on the cake: the team is already seeded first in its division for the state tournament. And at first, it seemed as if that's how McDaniel was going to play it. Having benched his starters after the first quarter in Friday night's game against Rockville to give them rest, and in honor of Senior Night, McDaniel started seniors Paulessha Wood, Brittany Carroll, Alina Grant, Denisha Sanchez and Famatta Ajavon.

Even when the usual starting lineup was subbed in two minutes into the game, the Lady Trojans were not dominating the floor like they usually do. Watkins Mill maintained the lead for most of the quarter and was mostly successful at keeping Gaithersburg from the basket.

It was only until a couple of big plays in the last two minutes of the quarter – a fast-break pass from Kara Marshall to Colleen Marshall that led to a layup, a huge steal from Jackie Jackson in the back court and a stylish layup from Sarah Seipp – that the Trojans were energized.

For Gaithersburg, however, every game counts as preparation.

"We play every game just like any other one, because we're trying to get ready for playoffs," Jackson said.

Jackson, who scored 12 points, said a lot of the players from both teams knew each other, and that there had been a lot of hype leading up to Tuesday night. "Once we came in and saw the intensity they were bringing, we knew we had to bring that same intensity," she said.

"They just needed to get in a rhythm," McDaniel said about the slow start. He later added, "We don't take any game lightly. Every practice, every game we play hard."

"We didn't start the game like we're used to, so we just needed to calm down and play like we know how to play," Seipp said. The senior guard led her team in scoring with 15 points and played intensely throughout the game, diving for loose balls and driving aggressively to the basket.

Even when the Trojans played their best, however, Watkins Mill did not let up. The Wolverines held Gaithersburg to just 10 points in the third quarter with a defense that often resembled Gaithersburg's own. Senior forwards Jasmine McRoy, who led her team in scoring with 18 points, and Jartu Toweh were consistently dangerous from the outside, combining for five of the team six 3-pointers.

Seipp said only the Northwest and Wootton games were tougher. McDaniel said it was the toughest game all season.

"They're a very athletic team," McDaniel said. Watkins Mill head coach Ivan Hicks "knows me and I know him. They came out aggressive."

McDaniel said he was disappointed in the team's free-throw shooting; the Trojans only made 16 of their 33 shots. The missed points put pressure on the team to maintain the lead.

The Lady Trojans have a bye in the first round of the state tournament. They will play the winner of Saturday's Richard Montgomery and Bethesda-Chevy Chase game next week.