Hawthorne Girls Basketball Set For District Championship Game

Hawthorne High’s girls basketball team is a win away from being crowned the back-to-back 1A-District 6 champions.

Right Girls, Right Time

The top-seeded Hawthorne Hornets and the two seed Newberry Panthers interlock in battle for the district championship title Friday.

And we’re off. @HawthorneHoops vs. @BellDawgsBBall. Winner moves to the district championship.#espngainesville #highschoolbasketball #districts pic.twitter.com/EcA7oEUOi9

— Jesse Bratman (@jessebratman) February 8, 2024

After starting the season at 3-3, the Hornets found their stinger. Hawthorne won 14 consecutive games and not dropped one since Dec. 21. The Hornets lost that game to Bradford, which they have since avenged by beating Bradford on Jan. 15.

The Hornets are firing on all cylinders.

Hawthorne is a seasoned team with experience top to bottom. Retaining all but one of last year’s squad, the Hornets began the year with an elevated chemistry and togetherness that has continued to grow.

Coach Cornelius Ingram joined SportScene with Steve Russell on Tuesday to discuss the state of his team.

It’s Winning Time

When Hawthorne steps onto the basketball court it drowns opponents with undeniable pressure.

Hawthorne is coming off not just a win, but an evisceration of the four seed Bell Bulldogs. The Hornets beat Bell 78-16 in the district tournament semifinal Wednesday in Fort White.

The Hornets treat the domination of girls’ high school basketball teams like infinity stones. They just keep on collecting them.

A 62-point win against Bell (8-13), a 34-point win versus Chiefland, a 13-point win against P.K. Yonge and a 43-point win against Trenton are examples. The Hornets hold a 38-point win margin against their last four opponents.

The Hornets are playing at a level of basketball that separates them from the entirety of 1A-District 6.

Hardware Incoming?

Hawthorne looks to defend its district tourney championship in Friday’s title game against Newberry (15-7).