By Ryan Moxon – The Hough girls’ basketball team finds itself in playoff position as the regular season winds down and a new group of leaders takes the reins for the Huskies.

Gone are former standouts Chloe Galombeck, Sophia Zoerb and Jacquelyn Jakubecy — who averaged a combined 31 points per game a year ago — but a new crop of leaders has emerged this season.

The balanced offense features three players averaging double figures in scoring, led by junior guard Blair Haines at 12 points per game. Haines brings scrappiness on both ends of the floor, averaging five rebounds and three steals per game, and has stepped into a leadership role this season.

“Blair is the heart and soul of our team,” head coach Andrae Butts said. “We’ve asked her to make plays for herself and others, and she’s done a good job of adapting.”

Senior guard Kate Breault, who is averaging 10 points per game and leads the team in assists, has embraced the challenge of moving from the wing to point guard, creating scoring opportunities from the perimeter and by attacking the basket.

“She’s our Swiss Army knife — she does a ton of things well,” Butts said.

The return of junior forward Alexis Otto in mid-January following a monthlong absence due to an ankle injury is expected to improve roster depth and provide additional scoring and rebounding.

Defensively, the Huskies are bolstered by sophomore Cecilia Lambert, an athletic guard and the team’s best on-ball defender, who has provided a spark off the bench in close games.

“She wreaks havoc on ballhandlers,” Butts said. “She’s an up-and-coming player, and we’re expecting big things from her.”

Senior forward Olivia Puskarich is the team’s leading rebounder, averaging six boards per game.

Schedule outlook

Hough has improved its win total in each of the past five seasons but likely will not surpass the 20-win mark from last season. The team has taken care of business in games it should win but has not yet found a way to consistently close out teams with more talent.

The Huskies posted key wins against Statesville and Chapel Hill, erasing double-digit deficits in both games to come out on top.

Four of the team’s losses came against strong perennial programs North Mecklenburg and South Mecklenburg, as well as defending state champion Lake Norman.

The Huskies are 11-8, with key matchups against South Mecklenburg and Myers Park remaining to close the regular season.

The blueprint from the two comeback wins may provide a roadmap as the Huskies prepare for the playoffs.

“We showed will, determination and grit down the stretch in those games,” Butts said. “We had a never-say-die attitude and made enough plays to come back and win.”

Protecting the ball on offense and taking advantage of a solid group of perimeter shooters will also be key.

“We just have to take care of the ball and minimize turnovers,” Butts said. “You’re never out of it when you can knock down 3s.”

Boys basketball

The Hough boys basketball team is off to a strong start under new head coach Beau Maye, with a well-rounded offense featuring three players averaging double figures in points.

The Huskies stand at 14-5, with four games remaining in the regular season before the postseason conference tournament and state playoffs, including a matchup at home tonight against Garinger.

A consistent, team-first style of play and solid chemistry contrast sharply with the culture issues Maye inherited after last season.

“They’re coming in and working hard and playing with maximum effort, which is all we can ask for,” Maye said. “It is paying dividends.”

Senior forward John Slusher has stepped into a leadership role and leads all scorers with 16 points per game on 55% shooting from the field. Junior guard Tre Ratliff has shown significant improvement on both ends of the floor this season, adding 15 points per game.

Senior guards Justin Funderburke and Beck Spear have set the tone in expectations and effort on the court, Maye said.

Hough’s season includes a big road victory against Davie County and a 7-game winning streak in January, which featured a win over Lake Norman, a team that had bested Hough over the holiday break.

Last month, the Huskies welcomed back senior forward Oliver Stamey, the team’s leading rebounder, who missed four games due to injury.

Maye hopes having Slusher and Stamey healthy down the stretch will solidify a roster averaging 64 points and more than 30 rebounds per game.

“We’re excited to get some guys back and continue to get better as the season comes to the home stretch,” Maye said.