Malden girls’ basketball has come out again this season dominating their competition with the team having high hopes of qualifying for another state tournament for the third consecutive year. What better way to continue towards that goal than by taking on their GBL rival Medford?
The Golden Tornados were looking to rebound after coming up short against Revere two days prior. “We tend to work together pretty well and our defense is outstanding. We just need to focus on finishing at the hoop,” senior captain Angelina Colon said.
The first quarter started with neither team being able to find their shot. Despite their slower start, Malden kept grinding and focused on their fundamentals by taking smarter shots. This helped shift the energy for Malden as they shook the rust off, but Medford was staying right on their heels.
The second quarter started off with Medford taking the lead. The Mustangs started to lay out some hard fouls, but the Tornados were able to resonate with Colon’s message as they were able to convert tough shots and force turnovers on the Mustangs. Towards the end of the quarter, Malden’s hot streak came to an end as both teams entered the half in a tightly knitted contest. However, in the third quarter, Malden started to get their heads in the game.
After halftime, Malden came out of the locker room with an improved mindset which led to a dominating presence. The Tornados started attacking the basket, making shot after shot. Towards the end of the quarter, Medford started to fight back and eventually regained a small lead over Malden.
Ina Tolete dribbles past the defender while she's guarding her. KAMANI GOM 
Madison Cook jumps to make a shot. KAMANI GOMES 
Amanda Fowke and the defender fight for the ball falling out of the net. KAMANI GOMES 
Girls basketball captain Victoria Gammon runs away from defenders to make a shoot. KAMANI GOMES
The fourth quarter began with Malden regaining control of the game. The Golden Tornados were storming and there was nothing the Mustangs were able to do. Unlike the end of the second quarter, Malden’s play remained consistent as they conquered Medford 42-32.
After the victory, Colon stated “I feel great about the win, we had a good team win. We did really well on staying composed and our energy was amazing. We need to improve on having a good start to the game and less turnovers but besides that, our play will help us make states.”
Even with all the hardship at the beginning of the game, Malden still pulled through and managed to put themselves back together. Head coach Scott Marino commented “I was extremely pleased with our effort, our girls competed at a high level and came up with the ten-point win. Medford is a good team that plays well. Taking care of Medford at home puts us in the driver's seat to compete for the GBL title.”
The girls on the team genuinely enjoy being together and feed off of each other’s energy. They all connect with each other and share many amazing experiences, they have even made time to hang out outside of the court. Coach Marino explained, “They realize our team goals and fight to compete with each other in practice each and every day to achieve them. The girls have gotten together outside the court to build chemistry.”
The girl’s basketball team has amazing players and they continue to strive every day. Their amazing ability to work together pays off and their chances of making it to the top is highly looked upon.
