There aren’t many teams around the region that have a basketball combination like Osbourn Park’s sophomore Sha’Lynn Hagans and senior Nadia Davidson. Hagans is a tall, fast point guard that can defend, handle the ball exceptionally and attack the rim. Davidson is a skilled ball-handler that can score inside and out and play guard or forward.
The pair’s skills were on full display in the first game of the Hayfield Tip-Off Classic against Mount Vernon on Wednesday night. Hagans scored 16 points and dished out six assists, while Davidson hit three three-pointers en route to a game-high 17 points. Hagans and Jackson helped the Yellow Jackets to a 20-5 first quarter lead against the pesky Majors, and Osbourn Park never looked back en route to the 57-39 win.
“They’re offensive powers,” said Yellow Jacket coach Clifton Gorham of his two stars. “They can’t be in foul trouble, but they’ve been together for a while. Their two-man game is great and Nadia’s leadership is amazing. Those two have definitely upped their workouts, abilities and talents throughout the summer. They’re not selfish players and it makes it all the better.”
The pair may have sufficient help to make a deep run in the playoffs come February, but the supporting cast is young. Last night the Yellow Jackets started one freshman and brought three frosh off the bench in their eight-man rotation. Sophomore Erica Lee (six points) and Junior Mia Buchanon (eight points) are the other starters.
Mount Vernon alumnus and coach India Thomas’ squad came a little flat in the first quarter but battled throughout and gave Osbourn Park some trouble with its size. The Majors out-rebounded the Yellow Jackets and got a nice lift from Kelly Bethea off the bench on the boards as the senior grabbed 14 rebounds. Unfortunately for them they were only able to convert three of 17 free throws on the night. The Majors simply missed too many shots to come back against the high-powered Osbourn Park offense.
Coach Gorham was pleased with his team’s effort. “We’re young, and have a lot of work to do,” he said after the game. “Too many fouls in the first half and we need to get more disciplined on D. We can definitely grow from this, though. That was a good team out there and we were undersized a little bit. Our pressure balanced it out but we have to work on execution.”
Osbourn Park will battle host Hayfield, who defeated Forest Park last night in the second game, on Saturday at 6:00 pm.
–Chris Jollay
all stats are unofficial
| OSBOURN PARK | FG | FT | Points | Boards | Assists | |
| BUCHANON | 4-11 | 0-2 | 8 | 4 | 0 | |
| LEE | 1-6 | 3-6 | 6 | 3 | 0 | |
| DAVIDSON | 7-14 | 0-0 | 17 | 3 | 2 | |
| HAGANS | 7-14 | 2-3 | 16 | 0 | 6 | |
| JOHNSON | 2-4 | 1-2 | 5 | 6 | 0 | |
| Dunn | 1-5 | 3-4 | 5 | 3 | 0 | |
| Osaro | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Dickinson | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| TOTALS | 22-56 | 9-17 | 57 | 22 | 8 | |
| 3-pt. shooting: Lee 0-1, Davidson 3-7, Hagans 0-3, Dunn 0-3 | ||||||
| MOUNT VERNON | FG | FT | Points | Boards | Assists | |
| BORDLEY | 2-8 | 0-0 | 4 | 2 | 4 | |
| SOLOMON | 4-9 | 0-5 | 10 | 5 | 4 | |
| WILDER | 1-6 | 0-0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | |
| ANDERSON | 5-7 | 2-5 | 12 | 4 | 0 | |
| FLOYD | 1-2 | 0-1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
| Bethea | 2-9 | 1-2 | 5 | 14 | 0 | |
| #11 | 0-4 | 0-0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | |
| Smith | 1-3 | 0-0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | |
| Floyd | 0-1 | 0-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| #2 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| TOTALS | 16-48 | 3-17 | 39 | 32 | 9 | |
| 3-pt. shooting: Bordley 0-4, Solomon 2-3, Wilder 1-6, #11 0-2, Smith 1-2 | ||||||