HMS basketball finishes season undefeated

For the first time in 23 years, the Homewood Middle School eighth-grade girls basketball team was named Metro South champions, finishing its season with a 22-0 record.

The team defeated Berry Middle in the Metro South championship on Feb. 5. The Patriots were up 21-4 in the first quarter and 35-11 at halftime before ending the game at 60-44.

 “From the beginning of the season, they just bought into what our offensive and defensive philosophies are,” coach Christi Martin said. “That is what just drove us to the end of the year.”

Last year as seventh-graders, half the team played on the seventh-grade team while the other half played on the eighth-grade team. Once they were all reunited on this year’s team, Martin said they were on a mission.

“We had a saying on our game day T-shirts: ‘relentless,’” Martin said. “That was our defensive philosophy, and they really believed that.”

Nine of 11 girls play AAU basketball, and half of them have played together since fifth grade. But it took following their team motto, “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish,” to complete the season as such a strong team.

“These kids aren’t done, and that’s what’s so promising about the future for Homewood girls basketball,” Martin said. “You’re going to hear about them for the next four years. I think they have the opportunity to win state when they get to high school. My hope is that we can continue to build on this season for the program.”