Hotchkiss girls cruise to 61-37 win

LAKEVILLE — The Hotchkiss School girls varsity basketball team defeated Kingswood-Oxford School 61-37 on Wednesday, Jan. 24.

The Bearcats opened up a big lead early on and kept their foot on the gas through to the end. The dynamic duo of guard Kaila Richardson and center Morgan Jenkins terrorized Kingswood-Oxford with a seemingly unstoppable pick-and-roll. Combined with lights-out shooting from Grace Backus, Eleanor Hem and Angel Allen, Hotchkiss looked poised for a postseason run as the Founder’s League playoff tournament approaches.

The Jan. 24 game was well attended with a full student section. Bearcat fans were enthusiastic as their team built up steam. They also emitted exotic sounds, almost jungle-like, while Kingswood players were on the free throw line.

Kingswood-Oxford scored the first 4 points of the game, but after that, it was all Hotchkiss. Jenkins established herself as a dominant presence in the paint, to which the Wyverns had no answer. By the end of the first quarter, the Bearcats led 20-9.

Hotchkiss continued its run in the second fueled by disciplined rebounding on both ends of the court. The lead stayed steady at halftime with Hotchkiss ahead 32-21. Jenkins and Richardson linked up for 26 of the team’s first-half points.

The Bearcats’ guards took over in the second half with Backus, Helm and Allen combining for five 3-pointers. Drawing out the defenders opened up the paint even more and the lead continued to grow.

Hotchkiss won 61-37 over Kingswood-Oxford. The Bearcats’ season record advanced to 9-3 and the Wyverns moved to 5-6.

Jenkins led the Bearcats in scoring with 19 points. Richards and Backus each finished with 9 points.

Kingswood-Oxford was led in scoring by Samaria Gonzalez with 11 points.

Hotchkiss will host Kent School (11-3) Wednesday, Feb. 7, at 3 p.m. The last time these two rivals met, Kent won a nailbiter 58-53 on home court. Hotchkiss will look to even the score in the rematch in Lakeville.