HoopSmart 12U AAU Girls Bring Home State Title

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By Colin Murphy

On April 10, the 12U HoopSmart AAU girls basketball team capped off a two weekend-long run through the Maryland State Tournament with an dominating 45-28 win over the Lady Panthers in the championship game. The win avenged a loss suffered to the Panthers earlier in the tournament and gave the HoopSmart organization its first state championship in any age group in the 11 year history of the program.

“Over 400 girls have come through this program and many have gone on to play college basketball, but none of them ever won a state championship,” said Head Coach Dan Zajac after the victory. “This team is the first. We weren’t the biggest group, and individually we’re probably not the best ball players, but we were the best team.”

The championship is all the more tremendous considering the caliber of the opponent. The runner-up Lady Panthers had hitherto beaten every team they faced in the tournament, including a 63-6 stomping in the semifinal game that earned them a place in the final. Having already lost to the Lady Panthers in the pool play stage, the HoopSmart girls faced the tall task of beating what seemed at that point to be the tournament’s one true juggernaut.

“It would have been easy for the girls to doubt themselves, having already lost to [the Lady Panthers] once,” said Zajac. “It takes such heart and determination to eliminate that doubt. They played so hard, so unselfishly, so inspired, and that’s why they’re champions.”

In the pool play stage, several of the girls on the team played in a lacrosse game the same day they had to play three basketball games, giving them the confidence that with fresh legs they could beat anyone in the tournament, and they proved as much in the championship game.

Employing the help-and-recover schemes they had practiced intensely the week leading up to championship, the HoopSmart girls hounded the Lady Panthers throughout the first half with a tenacious half-court man-to-man defense. Giving up no offensive rebounds and beating their opponents to every loose ball, HoopSmart held a 12-9 lead with six minutes remaining in the half. Seizing the moment, the local girls closed out the half with a 9-2 run to take a 21-11 lead to intermission.

“You could tell the Panthers were shocked they were behind,” said Zajac. “Our girls really took it to them, and it had a huge effect on them mentally.”

Coming out of their huddle prior to the start of the third quarter HoopSmart shouted in unison: “FINISH!” With the Lady Panthers clearly rattled, the girls played true to their word delivering an out-and-out hammering in the second half. Suffocating defense and hot shooting on the offensive end enabled HoopSmart to extend its lead to as much as 21 points. Each time the Lady Panthers seemed like they were on the doorstep of a comeback, the HoopSmart girls would ratchet up the intensity, snuffing out any hopes the Panthers had of clawing their way back.

With the lopsided 45-28 victory, the HoopSmart 12U girls took home a state championship by knocking out a Lady Panther organization that won championships in every other age division over the weekend. More importantly, they accomplished the unprecedented feat of winning a state championship for the HoopSmart organization.

“I have never been more proud of a team and a group of athletes than I am of this group right now,” said Zajac. “All the talent these girls have and the hard work they put in… This is something they will remember for the rest of their lives.”

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