Girls’ basketball beat Fairmont Prep today 65-45. Heading into its last two league games of the season, the squad holds a record of 20-4.
Center Kiki Iriafen ’21 scored 18 points, wing Melanie Hirsch ’18 scored 17 points and forward Jayda Ruffus-Milner ’18 scored 15 points.
“My teammates did a really good job of getting me open. For me it’s all about confidence, so once I hit my first shot, I got in rhythm,” Hirsch said.
Guard Ashlee Wong ’18 said that the team executed well both on offense and defense.
“Today we focused on our motion offense, which helped us get early and easy baskets,” Wong said. “That energy and fast style of play should help us in the playoffs. Our boxouts have really improved and getting up the line on defense will be important.”
With playoffs just two weeks away, the team said they have been feeling the importance of working hard.
“Winning is building up our momentum for future games, but no matter what, we always play with everything we got,” Iriafen said. “To win playoffs we are going to have to fight. We are playing against girls bigger than us, but with our athleticism and shooters we have the advantage.”
Wong said Iriafen and Hirsch were key players for the team’s success in playoffs.
“[Iriafen] is a super athletic post with a ton of potential, and not many teams have had the chance to play against her since she’s so young,” Wong said. “[Hirsch] is one of the best three point shooters I’ve ever seen, and she’s deadly if you leave her open.”
With the league season coming to a close, Wong, a senior captain, said she was sad about her high school basketball experience coming to an end.
“I’ve had such a fantastic ride the past four years and made so many life long friends and memories,” Wong said. “More importantly, I’m most excited for this year’s playoffs, since I think we have a really good chance of winning this year. I’ll never forget my time on the court at Harvard-Westlake, and I’m going to make sure we put up a banner for my senior year.”
The team’s next game is Feb. 6 against Alemany at home. The Wolverines beat Alemany 51-47 earlier in the season.
