Point Guards Take Charge

Malaysia Lavonna Haynes signaled Cross’s next play on the court with a raised fist in the air and set up her teammate Sirraya Pratt for an open shot.

Pratt and Haynes, both juniors and both point guards, took charge during the most recent game for the Wilbur Cross varsity girls basketball team. The young team, searching for its first win, kept the score close until the fourth quarter, when Shelton High School pulled away from the lady Governors to win 54 – 36.

Wilbur Cross coach Deborah McClease described Friday’s game, the team’s eighth straight loss, as its best so far as the players improve their game and look toward the future.

“They played with a lot of energy and intensity,” McClease said. 

Between moving the ball, communicating with each other, and cheering one another along, the team did ​“all the things we need to do to be that team we want to get to,” the coach said. 

Part of the progress came from Pratt and Haynes taking charge.

In the game’s first 15 seconds, Haynes and her teammates cleared a path that allowed Pratt to sink a shot with the game’s first two points. 

Three minutes later, Pratt and the team ran an offensive play allowing for Haynes to hustle to the hoop to make another two points. In the final 20 seconds of the first quarter Pratt brought the score to 9 – 12 with a three pointer. 

Pratt, a junior at Sound School, finished the game with a team-high 15 points. Nine of those points came from her confident three point shooting. She also displayed grit on the defensive side of the ball, finishing with three steals and diving on every loose ball she could. 

Running mate Haynes, a Cross junior, finished with 13 points herself. She attacked the basket with aggression, drawing fouls and knocking down her free throws. She is also a very impressive passer and playmaker, time and time again setting her teammates up with easy shots and ultimately finishing with five assists, two of which were to Pratt.

“I feel like we played 100 percent. I wish we played 110 percent,” Pratt said after Friday’s game. ​“I feel like we gave it all we got.” 

Before learning to play organized basketball, Pratt said, she was used to playing street ball. She said on Friday she was continuing to put into use the lessons she’s picking up this year.

Haynes, who also celebrated her 17th birthday Friday, agreed. ​“I’m really learning how to be a team player,” she said. ​“I want to lead my team to a first game victory and just go from there because I know that I need them and they need me.”

During Friday’s game Haynes played through a slight leg injury. Her left calf was injured after an opponent’s knee collided with the back of her leg as they both sought the ball. ​“I had to play through it because the game wasn’t over,” Haynes said. 

Pratt similarly said a lesson learned was to never give up and always hustle until the game is over. 

Despite momentary frustration or pain, the two made sure to keep each other’s head in the game. 

“She held me down especially when I was tired,” Haynes said of Pratt. ​“We did it as a team.” 

“When I’m down she always picks me up,” Pratt said of Haynes. Pratt added that she is learning to be more confident to take the ball up from Haynes. 

The varsity team will next face off against Cheshire High School in an away game Tuesday night.