McHenry, MD – The season may only be two games old, but the Garrett College women's basketball team is already learning some lessons about perseverance.

The Lady Lakers lost two potential starters to season-ending injuries before the regular season even started. Garrett then lost premier point guard Renee Timbers to a first-half ankle injury during Saturday's GC Tip-Off Classic contest against visiting Hocking (OH) College.

Garrett still managed to hold off the Hawks, grinding out a 52-43 win as freshman forward Hailey Newsome scored a team-high 19 points to go with four rebounds and three steals. Combined with Friday's season-opening, 74-47 romp over Bryant & Stratton College, the youthful Lady Lakers came out of the gate with a 2-0 record.

"When Renee went down, we had to kind of rely on our freshmen to handle the pressure – and I think they did overall," said GC head coach JT Lewis.

The Lady Lakers won despite Hocking's height advantage, with 6-4 freshman forward Hawa Ba running the baseline and 6-4 sophomore forward Cydney Almond playing in the high post.

"I think we did well, considering the size we had to deal with," said Newsome. "We were trying to handle their two bigs, fronting them and also setting up back-side support."

"That high-low – it's really hard to stop that against two 6-4 players," said Lewis. "I thought our effort was great."

Garrett took the lead for good with a 9-0 run that broke a 5-5 tie. Da'shai Morton-Hall started with run with a tie-breaking 3-pointer, and Newsome scored five of the next six points.

"Hailey is a great athlete, has a great motor, and can do a little bit of everything," said Lewis. "When she figures out how to use all of the gifts that she has, she will definitely be one of the top players in the conference."

Newsome, who finished the weekend with 33 points and nine rebounds, noted the transition from high school to college basketball is fairly dramatic.

"It's been very different," said Newsome. "I'm having to grow up and learn more of the game, more of the positions. I know only having two [returning sophomore starters] coming back, we [GC's freshman class] have to step up."

Garrett used another 9-0 run to extend its lead to 26-11 as four different Lady Lakers scored baskets. The Hawks, however, finished the half on an 8-2 spurt to pull within 28-19 at the half.

The Lady Lakers took their biggest lead on a banked jumper by Manuela Perez de Castro (seven points, seven rebounds, three steals) that made it 41-25 with less than three minutes remaining in the third quarter. Hocking, however, finished the third quarter on a 10-0 streak, including treys from Gianna Boyce and Lilly Weaver, as the Hawks pulled within 41-35.

Garrett responded by scoring the first six points of the fourth quarter as Morton-Hall (13 points) and Daisya Brown (11 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals) hit transition layups and Newsome drove the lane for a layup. Hocking did get within six points on a Weaver layup that made it 49-43, but the Hawks turned the ball over three times in the final 41 seconds to end their comeback hopes.

Lewis said he saw a lot of positives from his freshman-dominated squad over the first two games of the season.

"Da'shai is definitely my kind of player – a  lot of heart, highly skilled, and willing to commit to what we need to do as a team," said Lewis. "Daisya did a great job on the boards in the first game and goes after every loose ball."

GC 74, B&S 47

McHenry, MD – Freshman guard Da'shai Morton-Hall scored a game-high 22 points Friday in her first collegiate contest as the Lady Lakers opened the 2024-25 season with a convincing win.

Morton-Hall also had a game-high five steals to go with five rebounds and two assists. Sophomore point guard Renee Timbers checked in with 18 points and a game-high six assists.

"That was probably the best we could have played shooting wise, sharing the ball, and putting pressure on the ball," said GC head coach JT Lewis. "That was a great win – sharing the ball, and everyone scoring."

Freshman Hailey Newsome had 14 points and five rebounds. Three other Lakers – Manuela Perez de Castro (eight rebounds, four steals, three assists), Daisya Brown (three rebounds, two steals), and Jorjalynn Ward (2-for-2 from the 3-point stripe) – added six points each.

Garrett took control early, using a 14-4 run to pull away from a 5-5 tie. Timbers had six points in that early run, which Morton-Hall closed it with two free throws and a transition basket.

The Lady Lakers led by as many as 31 points while coasting to the win.