By Avonlea Cummings
Hometown Weekly Reporter
The air was warmer than a typical February night on Thursday, February 16th. The Dover-Sherborn girls' basketball Raiders hosted the Norwell Clippers in a non-league matchup. After the Raiders led the first half, the Clippers found a way to sneak past them on the scoreboard and put an end to the competition with a 52-48 score.
As the teams warmed up, the Dover-Sherborn gymnasium was filled with liveliness and excitement. The Raiders hoped to snatch a winning title in the rematch against the Clippers after a two-point loss earlier in the season. After the faceoff, the Raiders boosted over the Clippers in advantage, sprinting down the court while dominating their offensive skills.
One out of four senior captains, Hana Skeary exemplified what it meant to be a team player. She gave her all on the court, as she and the other captains encouraged the team to play as a unit and make the shots.
“We had so much confidence on the court, we work on this in practice, and it really translated there tonight. We build confidence within each other, encouraging as we go and take a big shot, it goes a long way,” said Skeary.
The Clippers were no match for the Raiders as they finished out the first half of the competition. Once the girls hit the court for the second half, both teams were vigorous to win the battle. Raiders were charging over the Clippers by the end of the third, but with the final minutes to spare of the fourth, Norwell rose over Dover-Sherborn with a final of 52-48.
Raiders’ senior captain Erica Hills led the game with 16 points. Hana Skeary and Elliana Scalabrine both pocketed 12 points each. Dover-Sherborn didn’t stop there as senior captains Anh Ngo and Riley Spalding, as well as players Drew Hussar and Meredith Gibbs knocked in two points each to help the Raiders.
Head coach Kanee Chlebda was delighted with the outcome of the Raiders’ season and the hard work they put into Thursday’s matchup.
“I think their heart stood out to me today, you know, in big moments these girls show up. They knew what this game meant for our team tonight, even though Norwell isn’t in our league, it was still very motivating. They trust each other when they’re out there. We aren’t 100% there, but there are so many great things that happened tonight,” said Chlebda.
The Raiders closed out their season with a 14-6 record. After their competition, the team celebrated their TVL Small Championship. Keep an eye out for the Raiders as they head into the state tournament in two weeks.
