The girls varsity basketball team extended its win streak to four with a commanding 71-36 victory over the Weymouth Wildcats at Schluntz Gymnasium on Monday, Jan.6.
The game opened evenly, with the teams tied 6-6 early in the first quarter. The Warriors quickly took control, going on a run to build a 16-8 lead by the end of the quarter. Junior Izzy Wood fueled the early momentum, scoring nine points in the opening frame while also making an impact on the boards and on defense.
“I think we started off pretty high energy,” Wood said. “Our defense helped a lot, our bench helped a lot and overall, just keeping the energy up and moving the ball quickly kept our energy up.”
Senior and captain Jada Kimbro opened the second quarter with a three-pointer and continued to lead the offense, scoring 7 more points in the quarter. Kimbro finished the half with 16 points, helping the Warriors maintain control and enter halftime with a 35-17 lead.
Senior and captain Nefeli Aga-Kitch played a key role throughout the first half, facilitating the offense, drawing fouls and applying consistent pressure on the defensive end.
The second half opened with a technical foul on the Wildcats for returning late from halftime, and Kimbro scored both free throws. The Warriors continued to pull away in the third quarter, holding the Wildcats to five points while building their lead to a comfortable 36 points.
Sophomore Hannah Levine made her varsity scoring debut in the third quarter, knocking down a three-pointer at the start of the half. She soon scored again, ending the quarter with a deep three, energizing the home crowd.
Levine continued her strong performance in the fourth quarter, completing a four-point play and hitting another deep three as the Warriors closed out the win with ease.
Kimbro led all scorers with a career high of 22 points. Wood finished with 11, while Levine added 16. Aga-Kitch contributed nine points, and additional scoring came from senior Ivy Wheeler, freshman Emerson Chan and junior Shira Artzi.
Head coach Kendell Jones said the team’s approach and communication stood out most during the game.
“I think it’s us talking on defense and staying together and motivating each other,” Jones said.
The Warriors’ recent success follows their championship run in the Cambridge Legends Classic, an annual Christmas break tournament held at Cambridge-Rindge and Latin School. This stretch has helped define the team’s identity, Jones said.
“Over the Christmas break, they worked extremely hard,” Jones said. “I told them I think we’re a playoff team, and now it’s time for us to play like it and prepare like it.”
Kimbro said the team’s chemistry and focus have been key during the winning streak and that the team looks to continue its strong season.
“I think we’re more bonded as a team this year,” Kimbro said. “We all want to go farther than last year, so we’re really focused on playing as a team and working together.”
