The GDS women’s varsity basketball team faced off against Jackson-Reed on Saturday in a rematch of last year’s 2024 District of Columbia State Athletic Association (DCSAA) Class A state championship. Going into the game, the team’s record was 0–6.
Following its DCSAA championship win and first place finish in the Independent School League (ISL) in 2024, the team was promoted to the higher division in both leagues, but has yet to win a regular-season game this year. Going into their matchup with Jackson-Reed, their record was 0–6. This year’s roster greatly differs from last year’s, with five new freshmen earning a spot. Additionally, five players from last year’s team are no longer at the school; Madi Moore ’24 graduated last spring, and four others transferred.
The game kicked off with an early Jackson-Reed three-pointer to set the tone for the quarter. GDS was sluggish offensively in the first quarter, but they made up for it with a strong defensive presence early, forcing several turnovers. As the quarter progressed, GDS began to gain life offensively, scoring on fast breaks and layups. The quarter ended with Jackson-Reed leading 14–8.
The second quarter began similarly, with an early three for Jackson-Reed, but GDS answered back with a jump shot and began to dominate offensively, thanks to freshman Liya Fairfax. On the other side of the court, the Hoppers’ defense continued to shine, particularly in freshman Jozi McDuffie, who forced a charging foul followed by several steals and forced turnovers. As a result, GDS was able to close the gap before halftime, ending the quarter with a tied score of 19–19.
The second half kicked off with a quick turnover by Jackson-Reed, followed by a layup by Fairfax. However, Jackson-Reed began to gain momentum, hitting two three-pointers to take the lead, 25–21, and forcing GDS to call a timeout. Following the quick break, GDS regained control on offense with a go-ahead three-pointer by Fairfax and a contested layup by McDuffie. The back-and-forth nature of the quarter continued as both teams scored in the paint and from the free-throw line. Late in the third quarter, McDuffie blocked a shot and scored on two fast break opportunities to cut down Jackson-Reed’s lead. The game remained close at the end of the third quarter, with GDS trailing Jackson-Reed 34–33.
Entering the fourth quarter, Jackson-Reed got off to a hot start, converting a pair of layups and a set of free throws, which once again prompted GDS to call a timeout. Following the timeout, GDS began to pick up momentum thanks to McDuffie as she knocked down a jump shot, a pair of free throws and a fastbreak layup off a Jackson-Reed turnover to help the Hoppers gain momentum. Late in the fourth quarter, however, Jackson-Reed knocked down multiple threes and forced turnovers to seal the game and win 52–42. Jackson-Reed improved their record to 6–4 with the victory, while GDS fell to 0–7.
After the game, head coach Pam Stanfield expressed her pride in the team, calling the game “the team’s best defensive performance thus far.” Additionally, Stanfield said that the team did well defensively without their captain, senior Evelyn Chen, who was out with a concussion. “The kids did a really good job stepping up and communicating on defense,” Stanfield said. Stanfield referred to Chen as one of the team’s best communicators on defense.
Stanfield also had high praise for McDuffie and Fairfax, both freshmen, saying, “Those two are amazing; I’ve asked them to fill many different roles on the team.” McDuffie ended the game with 21 points, while Fairfax scored 20, finishing as the team’s first and second best scorers, respectively.
McDuffie cited her ability to drive to the basket as one of the core reasons for her success. “I think in the first half I started off pretty slow and my shot wasn’t really falling, so driving really helped me on offense,” she said.
“Our end season goal was to stay in the upper division [of the DCSAA], and a win would really help motivate us moving forward,” Fairfax told the Bit.
The GDS women’s varsity basketball team will go on the road to face off against St Andrew’s on Thursday, January 16 at 5:45 p.m.