Jemiyah McDonald gets to be the player she wants to be this season.
The Homewood-Flossmoor senior waited her turn the last few seasons, coming off the bench and playing off the ball, while she knew she had more to offer. There were talented older players in front of her, though.
Now, McDonald is the Vikings’ starting point guard and defensive spark. She’s playing more confidently and H-F is better for it.
“My role is to be a floor general,” McDonald said. “When I first came to varsity, I didn’t know my role. I was used to being the point guard and not being the point guard put me in a kind of position. Being the point guard now has let me step up.”
Those things were on display in H-F’s 50-39 home win over Stagg on Dec. 12. McDonald was aggressive on both ends, stepping into passing lanes and creating shots for her teammates.
At times, McDonald even passed up shots to find teammates instead. She said her teammates have to “eat before she eats.”
“Defensively, offensively, she’s a smart player for us,” coach Tony Smith said. “Anytime she’s locked in and focused and ready to go, the rest of them usually follow. She’s that senior leader that we need.”
H-F got out to a slow start, scoring only six in the first quarter. The Vikings didn’t take the lead until an Aunyai Deere jumper made it 18-17 with around 2:30 remaining in the first half. Smith said it was a tough week of practice and his team is taking finals, so the sluggishness out of the box was expected.
Stagg center Shannon Earley, who was almost a head taller than any other player on the court, was an issue. The Carroll commit had seven blocks, but H-F continued to go at her, even if Smith thought a few of those drives may have been a little reckless.
“We won’t be deterred (from driving). I wish we were a little more selective,” he said with a smile. “We took some right to her and said ‘Hey, go ahead and block my shot.’”
Chargers junior Abbey Hobart was doing some scoring. She was looking for her shot and often found it, finishing with 18 points including four 3-pointers.
Only two of those points came in the fourth quarter, though.
“I feel like I should’ve been guarding (Hobart),” McDonald said. “We weren’t staying in front of her, at first, but as the game kept going we kind of shut her down a little bit.”
The Vikings defense was the story. They were aggressive without fouling, holding the Chargers scoreless for over four minutes in the second quarter and then for a long stretch again in the fourth.
“We want to play defense,” Smith said. “We want to play both sides. We want to be smart. We don’t want to foul. That’s something we pride ourselves on.”
The game is part of a meaty portion of H-F’s schedule.
The Vikings (8-4, 4-0) head to the Team Rose Shootout at Mount Carmel Sunday, then have two SouthWest Suburban Conference games against Andrew and Lockport before Christmas. The Hillcrest Holiday Tournament is Dec. 26, 27 and 28.
It’s an important stretch.
“I think we can be better than what we’ve been showing,” McDonald said. “The first couple games, we didn’t really know how to play as a team. We didn’t know everybody’s role. We know who that is now and that really helped us a lot.
