On Wednesday night, Justice sophomore guard Taylor Rivers was a tough matchup for Annandale in the first half. In the second half, Justice senior guard-forward Halimah Hajhassan was an even worse matchup.
Rivers scored 13 first half points and Hajhassan scored 21 in the second half to spark the Wolves (2-1, 7-4) to a National District home court win, 64-46.
Early on Rivers was the catalyst for the home team. She attacked the rim both in the halfcourt and off of steals very effectively. In the second half Rivers added six points and five assists, but it was Hajhassan’s show. The senior, who has been playing for the Wolves’ varsity since she was a freshman, hit three second half treys en route to her 21 in the second half. She was solid early but dominant late, finishing with 29 points and nine rebounds on the evening.
“I feel like it’s do it or don’t,” said Hajhassan when asked about what she feels like her obligations are as a senior. “You gotta do what you gotta do…for me to play aggressively and score points and help the team…I feel like I’m making a mark, especially since I’m leaving.”
Hajhassan certainly made her mark in the second half. The Wolves took the lead right out of the gate, but Annandale hung around in the first quarter and kept it close. By halftime Justice had extended its lead to 28-18, but the game still felt close. Hajhassan handled the ball more after intermission, scoring the first four points of the third quarter for her team.
“[The game] was a little too close for our liking at half,” Hajhassan said.
Annandale (0-3, 3-6), which starts five sophomores, continued to battle, but simply could not match Justice’s firepower. Ava Sewall, one of the better all-around offensive guards in Northern Virginia, had 15 points and four assists, but battled some foul trouble. Fellow sophomore center Matilda Moreland scored all of her 11 points in the second half, and senior Susan Aburish added 12 points off the bench.
Rivers’ final all-around statistics were impressive: 19 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. Her running mate in the Wolves’ backcourt, senior Makeda Endalkachew also had a solid game for the Wolves, finishing with seven points, five rebounds, and three assists.
–Chris Jollay
all statistics are unofficial
| JUSTICE | FG | FT | TP | REB | AST | |
| RIVERS | 8-16 | 3-6 | 19 | 8 | 6 | |
| M.CAMPBELL | 2-9 | 0-0 | 4 | 7 | 2 | |
| B.CAMPBELL | 1-3 | 0-0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | |
| ENDALKA- CHEW | 3-10 | 0-0 | 7 | 5 | 3 | |
| HAJHASSAN | 12-22 | 1-4 | 29 | 9 | 2 | |
| Barron | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | |
| Bryceland | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Ershadi | 1-2 | 0-0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | |
| Chavarria | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Yabre | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| TOTALS | 27-63 | 4-10 | 64 | 38 | 17 | |
| Threes: Hajhassan 4-8, Ershadi 1-2, Endalkachew 1-7, Rivers 0-1, M.Campbell 0-1 | ||||||
| ANNANDALE | FG | FT | TP | REB | AST | |
| MURRAY | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| SEWALL | 5-15 | 3-4 | 15 | 4 | 4 | |
| MUSA | 0-1 | 0-2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| FLORES | 2-14 | 0-0 | 4 | 7 | 2 | |
| MORELAND | 5-7 | 1-4 | 11 | 5 | 1 | |
| Aburish | 5-15 | 0-2 | 12 | 6 | 3 | |
| Velasco | 1-7 | 0-0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | |
| Sherif | 1-1 | 0-0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | |
| Bolin | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | |
| TOTALS | 19-63 | 4-12 | 46 | 33 | 14 | |
| Threes: Aburish 2-6, Sewall 2-7, Murray 0-1, Flores 0-1, Velasco 0-1 | ||||||