GRAFTON – Oh, the weather outside was frightful. But Algonquin basketball – so delightful.
Though Mother Nature decided to “Let It Snow” on Friday afternoon, Algonquin girls’ basketball chose to “make it rain” from the warmth of the Grafton High School gymnasium, pouring in two- and three-point shots from all around the court. The Titans’ flurry of scoring helped the team defeat Grafton, 51-30, to continue their hot start to the season.
“We play hard. I think we play aggressive, we play together as a team, we’re communicating well, and we’re executing,” said second-year Algonquin Head Coach Kashawn Hampton. “They’re taking things very seriously, and they understand we have a good group of girls. We’re working really, really hard.”
It was a slower-than-normal start for Algonquin, which had earned convincing victories against two other Central Mass. teams (50-point win over Westborough, 35-point win over Marlborough) to open the season strong. Grafton’s Addie McGrath and Evie Le helped the Gators keep close to the Titans, who led 11-10 after the first frame.
But led by junior Ashlee Dameri – who scored 15 points throughout the win –Algonquin settled in, outpacing Grafton 19-4 in the second quarter. After going 10-11 in Hampton’s first year coaching the team, the Titans returned to the court this year with more time to practice and refine their craft. The 3-0 start is an early indication it’s paying off.
“I definitely think our press was definitely working. That’s worked a lot for us this season – getting quick points off the press, getting steals. I think we work best in transition. Ella Singh, a sophomore on the team, gets a lot of steals for us, so that turns into points,” Dameri told the Community Advocate after the game.
“They know the system now – last year was my first year. They were freshmen coming in, and now they know the whole thing, the whole system. Now, we’re just taking it one game at a time. They are understanding that you have to work hard to be successful,” Hampton, a former Division 1 basketball player, explained.
And the future looks bright for these Titans. With two juniors, nine sophomores, one freshman, and only two seniors, the team still has plenty of room to develop. For now, Brooke Adams – a senior captain who tallied 12 points, including two three-pointers – Niki Chacharone, Adriana Russell, Dameri, and other players will look to provide leadership to some of the younger players.
“[Dameri’s] been a leader, she’s been controlling the floor. She’s been doing a lot more delegating, being a lot more vocal. She’s been one of the main people that has been able to uplift our team and build that camaraderie,” said Hampton. “That’s right alongside Brooke – our captain – Niki, and some other players on the team.”
“We’re definitely a young team, and I think that makes us special,” added Adams. “We’ve got a lot of energy, a lot of people really excited to play, come on the varsity court. We’re really excited for the future, we’ve got a lot of young people who will develop and we’ll continue our team strengths.”
