Hudson Uses Big 3rd Quarter to Race to W Over Chatham

January 23, 2019

Hudson 60, Chatham 41

A light Wednesday became even lighter due to the weather, as many schools in upstate NY called off after-school activities or had snow days due to freezing rain sweeping through. A pair of Patroon Conference games made it through the wreckage though, including Hudson's short voyage up Route 66 to Chatham. The hosts gave visiting Hudson - a team with a pair of losses to Maple Hill being the only blemishes on their record - everything they could ask for in the game's first 16 minutes. A defensive adjustment out of the locker room helped spark a Hudson run in the 3rd quarter, and they made one more push in the 4th to put a pesky Chatham squad away for good.

Deja Beauford lived around the rim for Hudson, and she dropped 22 of her game high 26 in the 2nd half in their win.

Chatham was dealt a blow right from the opening tip, as Brooke Doyle - a multi-year varsity contributor - went down with an ankle injury right after the jump. They were able to shake it off and start strong, however, handling Hudson's initial pressure and getting layups at the other end. They went on a 9-0 run after Hudson scored off the opening tip, and a Hannah Taylor (Chatham 2021) bucket gave them a 13-5 lead late in the quarter. Hudson was able to respond in the last couple minutes of the quarter, as they were able to turn Chatham over a handful of times and get out in transition. Deja Beauford (Hudson 2020) started & ended the spurt with layups, tying the game at 13 by the end of the 1st. Chatham responded well out of the huddle, extending their lead back to 20-14 and despite finding themselves falling into foul trouble as the half came to a close, they carried a 26-24 edge into the locker room.

The game would turn in Hudson's favor from the start of the 2nd half. Beauford opened the half with a bucket and they pulled the press off, dropping back into a zone. They continued to pressure guards in the half-court and jump passing lanes, which paid dividends right off the bat. By the middle of the quarter, their run had ballooned to 11-0 to start the half and they held a 35-26 lead before Taylor earned a three-point play the old fashioned way at the 4:17 mark. Hudson continued to put on the pressure, swelling their lead to 12 by the end of the 3rd in what was a 20-6 stanza. Taylor's offensive production allowed Chatham to hang around into the middle of the 4th - a three early in the quarter cut their deficit to 9 - but they would get no closer before Hudson delivered the putaway run. Their defensive activity turned into transition opportunities & Beauford was often the finisher, and they scored the game's last 8 points to win by a margin that was the game's largest.

Deja Beauford finished with a game high 26 points, 22 of them coming in the 2nd half. She had 14 in the 4th quarter, including Hudson's final 10 as a team. Many of those came in transition, almost exclusively at the rim as Chatham had problems dealing with her athleticism. Hannah Taylor had a solid game for a Chatham squad that only had 7 available players after Doyle's injury in the opening seconds, and she finished with a team high 16 points.


#JeffsNotes

- The key to dealing with Hudson, as has been the case in every year since I started, is dealing with their pressure & athletic ability. They'll get up and dog ballhandlers, be physical, and try to jump passing lanes in the backcourt. Most teams in the Patroon have been unable to handle it over the last few years. Chatham was able to do that in the 1st half - their press break worked well in advancing the ball, and unlike some teams, they have bigger guards that are strong enough to throw it over the top of the trap. They often were able to fight fire with fire, getting layups off the press break or good looks early in the shot clock as Hudson was scrambling back. The tide turned when Hudson dropped back in the 2nd half. They kept the pressure up and continued to try & turn Chatham over, and closing the court off not only allowed them to be more successful with that, but they were able to get more bodies going forward in transition. Hudson's halftime defensive adjustment and their execution of it truly made this one a tale of two halves.

Hannah Taylor had a good showing for Chatham, filling several roles & finishing with a team high 16 points.

- When Chatham had success, Hannah Taylor was usually behind it. This was my first time seeing her play and only the 2nd time ever watching Chatham play as a team. Hannah, a 2021 who has been their leading scorer this winter, made plenty of positive plays and has the sort of game that could translate well to different levels. She's a taller guard - guessing around 5'9" - and ran the point for Chatham. She passed well over the top of the zone press and showed enough handle & quickness to be able to hit the outside shoulder and bust out of traps if needed. In the half-court, she scored in various ways and did so efficiently. She hit the three when given room, wasn't afraid to try & get to the rim, and she moved well without the ball, scoring a couple times off cuts. It was a particularly tiring game for her considering the roles she had to fill at both ends - a light roster, injury, and foul trouble decimated Chatham as the game went on - so I can only assume she slept well after, but while the game was going on, she showed me some good things.