Mount Hebron Defense Shuts Down Atholton

The Mount Hebron girls' basketball players knew Atholton had a potent offense. Atholton knew Mount Hebron had a lockdown defense.

So when last night's game started with three consecutive three-pointers, two from around NBA range by Atholton's Brittany Coughlan, it looked as if the Raiders' strength was going to rule the day.

But, as 16th-ranked Mount Hebron stresses every day in practice, defense wins games. The Vikings held the Raiders to a season-low point total in a 58-38 road win to hand No. 10 Atholton, which reached the Maryland 2A semifinals last year, its first county loss.

"I expected this," Atholton Coach Maureen Shacreaw said. "Their defense is consistently like this. It's smothering."

Atholton had scored 91 points against Reservoir and hadn't scored less than 50 points in a game this season. Its average margin of victory was more than 20 points.

"We knew they were scoring like 70 points per game," Mount Hebron senior Jill Rekart said. "Our goal was to keep them to their lowest point total. So we went out knowing defense was going to win that game."

Even after Atholton's two long three-pointers to start the game, Mount Hebron didn't stray from its tight man-to-man scheme. The Vikings held the Raiders to just four points in the second quarter to take a 25-18 halftime lead.

Atholton pulled within seven points entering the fourth quarter before Mount Hebron clamped down again, holding the Raiders to just six points the rest of the way.

Mount Hebron Coach Scott Robinson said this defense ranks with the best he has ever had. And for the Raiders, that's saying something.

No. 16 Mount Hebron 58 No. 10 Atholton 38 Taylor Made: Atholton senior Julie Taylor led the Raiders with 16 points but had trouble squaring up from outside because of Mount Hebron's quick guards. Power Down Low: Mount Hebron pulled away in the fourth quarter behind eight points from senior center Jasmine Jarrett. But even she acknowledged, "It's about our defense; defense before anything."