Mar 14, 2010
#33 Cassidey Sowards looks to score during Green Hope High School's 87-61 loss to Butler High School in the NCHSAA 4-A Women's Championshipson Saturday, March 13. (photo by Will Okun)
The Green Hope girls basketball team won 31 games this season.
That's right, 31.
Just last season, the Falcons had their first ever winning season. Last season was Kristen Gaffney's freshman season. It was Mike Robinson's first year as the head coach. They didn't have Caitlyn Ranson. No one expected them to win more than eight or ten games.
But this season Green Hope took a major step forward. The Falcons went from never winning a conference championship to winning the regular season and conference tournament titles. They went undefeated in the regular season. The Falcons won the sectional championship. The regional championship.
With 31 wins the team is considered one of the best in the state.
On Saturday, however, Green Hope met the best team in the state - Butler.
It's hard to imagine an undefeated team being a heavy underdog against a team with four losses in the state title game, but Green Hope was. Everyone that paid attention to 4-A girls basketball this season knew how strong the teams out of the Charlotte area were.
And Butler lived up to the hype.
The game on Saturday was unlike any game Green Hope has played all season.
Butler was bigger, faster, and more athletic.
All season long, it was Green Hope running teams up and down the court. But on Saturday it was Butler outscoring Green Hope 20-0 on the fast break. There hasn't been a game all season where Green Hope hasn't scored on the break.
Green Hope has struggled at times on the boards this year, particularly against bigger teams. On Saturday, the Falcons' troubles rebounding were exploited mightily.
Butler out-rebounded Green Hope 49-19. The Bulldogs got 19 offensive rebounds, leading to 30 second chance points.
And the Falcons have been so good at getting to the basket and scoring. But not against Butler.
Green Hope had 16-points in the paint to Butler's 50.
This was a game that Green Hope had not seen before. They've played tough competition. They've played good post players - like Keisha Gatling. They've played athletic teams - like Enloe. They've played teams that like to run, and teams that play very good defense - like Southeast Raleigh.
But Green Hope hadn't played a team that is good at all of the above until the state championship game.
Green Hope had an outstanding season going 31-1, and while the state championship loss will likely be remembered more than the 31 wins for some time to come, this season was a positive step forward for the Falcon program.
This blog post is closed for comments.
