COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Things can change quick in a basketball game. The Northland Lady Vikings (12-6; 10-0) found that out as the defending City League Champion Africentric Lady Nubians (15-4; 12-0) fought back from a one-point quarter (don’t adjust your eyes, you read that correctly) to outscore Northland 16-2 in the second quarter in route to another City League Championship. The Lady Nubians added to the trophy case with a 36-31 win over Northland and giving head coach Janicia Anderson a championship in her first season as head coach. 

The game started out about as slow as one could imagine with both teams playing sloppy and missing layups, a clear sign that nerves were running high as an eagle eye amongst the young ladies. Nobody could put the ball even close to the bucket, until Northland senior Charia Smith broke the ice after close to four scoreless minutes with back-to-back baskets to put the Lady Vikings up 4-0. 

As Africentric continued to struggle offensively, Northland tried to create separation on the scoreboard as Smith scored six points in the opening quarter. Her senior classmate Brianna Hamilton added three free throws to give the Vikings a 9-1 lead at the end of the first quarter. 

But, what a difference the quarter break makes. Coach Anderson's bunch came out on a mission in the second quarter, especially after the opening bucket came from Northland’s Smith once again. After Smith’s bucket to open the quarter, the Nubians would go on a blistering 16-0 run, highlighted by two triples from sophomore Rayanna Howell who scored 10 of her 11 total points in the eruption. The run was capped off by two free throws from Howell before Smith came back to hit a basket with 10 seconds left in the half to send her Vikings into the locker down by four, 17-13. 

After intermission, Northland’s Brianna Hamilton nailed a three-pointer to get the action started and give the Lady Vikings some confidence. After that, sophomore Danice Duffour drained another three for her only points of the game and gave Northland a 19-17 lead with seven minutes left in the third quarter, then Nubian freshman Samairah Thompson scored two of her four points to tie the game at 19 right after that. 

Hamilton broke the tie by scoring her eighth and final point of the night and giving the Vikings a two-point lead before sophomore Kamryn Grant scored to break the tie again, that would be the last time the game would be tied. Grant broke the tie then scored consecutive hoops and a free throw to stretch the lead to 26-21 with 3:35 left in the third quarter. Charia Smith answered with consecutive scores herself before a free throw from Howell gave Africentric the 27-25 lead entering the final frame. 

Kamryn Grant continued to put her imprint on this game, scoring six of her team-high 16 in the last quarter (including the final field goal) and keeping the Vikings at bay during the quarter. Charia Smith tried to keep her team in the game by scoring five of her team's six points in the final frame but only found help in a free throw from sophomore Tanai Bowles. Africentric bled clock away and ended with their seventh straight girls City League Championship. 

Northland was led by senior Charia Smith who had a game-high 19 points and made every play to keep her team in the game, despite not having senior classmate and First Team All-City baller Nahdia Alcorn. Senior Brianna Hamilton scored eight points while sophomore Danice Duffour added a triple and Tanai Bowles sank a free throw. 

Africentric was led by sophomore Kamryn Grant and her 16 points along with 18 rebounds, her sophomore classmates Rayanna Howell, Ariel Grace and Ashtan Winfrey scored 11, four and nailed a free throw respectively. Freshman Samairah Thompson also added four points to round out the scoring for the young and talented Lady Nubian team. 

Northland has nothing to be ashamed of, pushing Africentric to the brink. The Lady Nubians are the winningest program in the City League, only rivaled by the boys Northland teams of the early 2010’s and with this teams age, many can expect them to be back in this position for years to come to add on to the seven straight championships they have.

Kamryn Grant (5'11 G/F / Africentric / 2024) - Grant. Can. Play. The sophomore held her own and then some against Marquette commit Charia Smith on Wednesday night. Grant struggled early due to the physicality of the game but really settled in during the second quarter. She is a relentless rebounder, indicated by her 18 boards on the night, and frequently extends Africentric's possessions. She can defend ball handlers the entire length of the floor and applies great ball pressure. Her length was a nuisance all night for ball handlers and shooters alike.  Grant scored seven straight points in the third quarter, including an and-one, to give the Nubians the lead and swing the momentum. She finished strong at the rim and was a major presence at the high post. Grant, who already holds several D1 offers, has an extremely high ceiling and is just getting started. 

Rayanna Howell (5'5 G / Africentric / 2024) - Howell played the hero role in the second quarter for the Nubians. After a one point first quarter, the sophomore entered off the bench to provide a spark for Africentric. Midway through the second, the lefty drained back-to-back three pointers to gain the lead. She finished the period with ten points including a transition layup, completely shifting the momentum of the game. The sophomore played fantastic defense, forcing Northland into uncomfortable situations. We are excited to see how she develops over the coming seasons. Fun fact: Howell's aunt, Kimberly Howell, played on the 1982 Northland State Championship team. 

Charia Smith (6'3 F / Northland / 2022) - Smith, a Marquette commit, dominated Wednesday's game. She is an elite rebounder and finisher, especially with her left hand. Smith totaled 19 of Northland's 31 points on the night and did so in a variety of ways. She scored the first four points of the game, including a midrange jumper from the free throw line and she finished multiple times on up and unders going to her left hand. Due to the absence of Nahdia Alcorn, Smith carried many of the ball handling responsibilities and did so with grace. She is a solid ball handler and makes good decisions when passing. We have no doubt that Smith will make a big impact at the next level. 

Brianna Hamilton (5'9 G / Northland / 2022) - Hamilton, a First-Team All-City selection, really impressed us on Wednesday. In the first half, she did a great job attacking the basket when undersized defenders were guarding her. She finished fairly well through contact and made a couple of trips to the free throw line. Hamilton's physicality on offense and defense was a big barrier for the Nubians esrly. She has the ability to blow by defenders but lacks a little bit of touch when attempting layups at full speed. If she could develop that touch, she would be an even bigger offensive threat for Northland. She has a nice shot and drained a three pointer to start the second half. She handled the ball well under pressure and distributed as needed. Northland could see a decent tournament run thanks to the duo of Hamilton and Smith.