Ava Davey ’25 surveying the floor for open teammates.
2/7 – Andover 39-37 Middlesex
2/12 – Andover 61-73 Austin Prep
Girls Basketball (9-10) faced off against Middlesex on Saturday and Austin Preparatory (Austin Prep) on Wednesday. The team bounced back from a two-game losing streak with a hard-earned win against Middlesex in overtime. However, Wednesday’s matchup against Austin Prep proved to be a tough challenge, with Andover battling fiercely before falling short in a tight high scoring affair.
According to Eva Jackson ’28, the team entered the game understanding its significance, knowing that a win would set the tone for the rest of the season. Securing the victory against Middlesex ended up giving the team a much-needed confidence boost.
“We really had a strong second half and overtime. We really came back to fight for the win and proved to ourselves that we are a second half team and that we can win any game,” said Jackson.
Head Coach Jennifer Weissbach pointed out that the team had to slowly whittle away at a ten-point deficit because of a tough start to the game. She also highlighted Alani Rodriguez ’27 who came clutch during the final seconds of regulation and later made the game-winning layup.
“The game was pretty intense. Right from the get-go we didn’t start the way we wanted to, we were fighting back out of a little bit of a hole. We were down ten at one point, and we were able to take it one possession at a time, score one possession at a time, get stops one possession at a time, and ultimately Alani Rodriguez, hit two free throws with less than ten seconds left in regulation to send the game to overtime. She also had the game winning layup,” said Coach Weissbach.
Rodriguez had another standout performance against Austin Prep. Co-Captain Emerson Buckley ’25 highlighted her ability to control the momentum of the game and score points.
“[Alani] ran the game from the point really well — making good passes, driving and kicking, not to mention her 20 something points. She also had a half-court shot to end the first quarter which really got our momentum going. She is always working really hard, so it’s awesome to see it paying off for her,” said Buckley.
Reflecting on what she hopes to see in the next game, Weissbach emphasized the importance of a strong start, aiming for the team to gain control and limit mistakes early.
“We’ll be focusing on how to start the way we want to start. Competing from the tip-off and not having to get down a few possessions and then needing to try to fight our way back,” said Weissbach.
To prepare for upcoming games, the team has been adjusting their practice routine by incorporating game situations into their drills. Jackson credited these focused exercises as a key factor in some of the team’s recent success, noting that they help the players prepare both physically and mentally for high-pressure moments.
“We’ve been practicing in game situations. We’ll have a situation, say an end of game situation, when we’re up by two and there’s like 30 seconds left. How are we going to defend it? What type of shot do we want? That proved helpful because one of those exact situations is what we had on Saturday,” said Jackson.
With three games in the coming four days, Weissbach acknowledged the challenge, but expressed confidence in their preparation and eagerness for the tough competition to come.
“We have three games in four days. That will be a lot both mentally and physically, but we are ready for the challenge. [There’s] also a bunch of Class-A games coming up that we are really excited for,” said Weissbach.
Girls Basketball will play against Dexter Southfield School at home on Friday.
