Girls Basketball: Kenwood Looks to Take Next Step

hoped to be rewarded for posting its first record above .500 in a decade this season.

The Bluebirds went 13-7, but in Maryland, unless a team finishes as one of the top four in its respective region, its playoff opponent is determined by a random draw. Therefore, Kenwood ended up and must travel to Prince George’s County for a 7 p.m. first round game at fourth-seeded Paint Branch (17-5).

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“There’s nothing we can do about our seed,” Kenwood coach Chanel Wright-Greene said. “All that means is our road to a deep run in the playoffs in a little harder. We’re ready for it.”

Wright-Greene said a big reason for the improvement at Kenwood, , is that she is finally attracting players whose primary sport is basketball.

“These girls are dedicated to being better basketball players,” Wright-Greene said. “Most of the players played AAU or some form of summer basketball in the offseason and want to help make Kenwood a winner.”

Leading that group for Kenwood is senior Denesha Tatum. The 6-foot-1 forward averages 12 points, 11 rebounds, two steals and two blocks a game. She has verbally committed to Virginia Union University.

Tatum said everything just came together this season for Kenwood after years of working to become competitive in Baltimore County.

“We all played off each other and have a lot of pride in what we accomplished this season. We’re not necessarily happy about our seeding, but we just needed to win a couple more games and it wouldn’t have been an issue,” she said.

Junior guard Cierra Wilson is another key player for Kenwood. Wright-Greene said Wilson is a prototypical point guard who does an outstanding job of getting her teammates involved in the offense. Wilson averages 8 points, 3 assists and 4.5 steals a game.

But, Wilson is also able to take over a game herself. In the season finale Feb. 16 against Towson, she had 22 points, 14 steals and 10 assists in a 70-25 win.

“We’ve just been a more disciplined team this season,” Wilson said. “The future is bright, but right now we’re focused on Paint Branch. If we have to drive all the way out there, we might as well win.”

Whatever happens in the playoffs this season, Wright-Greene said she expects Kenwood to remain competitive for years to come. Tatum is the Bluebirds lone senior on a roster filled with junior and sophomores.

Among other players of note for Kenwood is freshman shooting guard Jalisa Poole, junior forward Janaye Eaddy (6 ppg, 6 rpg) and along with Dayshawna West (6 ppg, 5 rpg), a sophomore, and Lexis Satterfield, a junior.

“We’ve really got a nice mix of players now and they are committed to wanting to win,” Wright-Greene said.