>> BALDWIN HIGH SCHOOL
Since the squad’s one-point loss to Griffin at the beginning of January, the Baldwin girls’ basketball team has been dominating the competition this month.
After this past Tuesday, the Bravettes moved to 8-1 in region play and have won 10 games straight.
On top of their general success, the Bravettes have not lost at home in the nine games they have played in their gym, with their most recent being the rematch against Griffin played last Friday.
Baldwin head coach Kizzy Walker told The Baldwin Bulletin that win was important for the overall motivation of the team.
“I told them, ‘First of all, we don’t lose at home, and second that we shouldn’t have any pressure going into this game,’” Walker said. “They had the pressure because they were the number-one team, and we got after them and let them know who the best team in the region was.”
Baldwin beat Griffin 62-45 last Friday, and it was the Bravettes’ last chance to see the Bears before the region tournament.
Walker’s team was able to beat the Bears by 17 points and did so off the backs of Madison Ruff and Janaye Walker.
Ruff contributed 12 points but made a real impact on the defensive end of the court. Walker led the team in both points and rebounds with 14 and 26, respectively.
After the team effort, Walker acknowledged how impressive the sophomore was when her team needed her the most.
“They came in focused before the game. It was just different, but they came out on the court ready to play,” Walker said. “We tried to limit them on the offensive glass and did a good job of that. Janaye had 26 rebounds by herself, which was impressive.”
Aside from their win over Griffin, Baldwin beat Westside (Macon) this past Tuesday.
The Bravettes came out on top 76-31, and it was Ruff’s turn to have the big game. She ended the night with 24 points, nine rebounds and five assists, including a couple blocks and a pair of steals on the defensive end.
Walker truly believes her team captain brings out the best in her teammates and that her motivation will be instrumental for future success.
“She’s definitely a leader, and she makes everyone want to play hard. If she’s playing hard, they’re playing hard,” Walker said. “I can tell when she’s tired because she’s always giving me 110 percent, but the tone she sets is give it all you got.”
With the region tournament just three games away for the Bravettes, the team will have to finish out the regular season against Perry Wednesday and West Laurens Friday.
Walker explained that the girls’ mentality gamein- and-game-out is not to overlook anyone and how it’s furthered their season.
“They know not to overlook teams for the postseason, especially teams like Perry and West Laurens,” Walker said. “We just need to focus on doing the things that will get us better for the offseason. The time for lolly-gagging in practice is over.”
The last time the Bravettes made it to the state playoffs was a year ago, and most of the girls on the squad remember it like it was yesterday.
Baldwin’s semifinal loss to Luella in 2022 is still fresh on the girls’ minds, but Walker is confident that they can use that as motivation to keep pushing forward.
“I told them to remember how they felt, last year, when they had to walk off the court after being beaten in the Final Four,” Walker said. “I want that to be the driving factor on how we play in the postseason, and to also remember what it was like to beat the number one team in the state.”