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Atlee coach Anna Prillaman has been waiting for senior guard Sydney Henderson to take charge of the team.

On Friday night, Prillaman got her wish, as Henderson led the Raiders to a 64-50 come-from behind victory over Capital District rival Hanover.

Henderson, who scored 26 points — including 15 on 3-pointers — surpassed the
1,000-point milestone and finished the evening with 1,008 career points.
“She decided to take over the game,” Prillaman said. “I tried to instill in Sydney that she is a better player than she thinks she is, and she showed it tonight. . . . She took over the team like I’ve been trying to get her to do all season.”

Henderson said, “I just decided to take the leadership role. We do have other leaders on the team. They started to step up after I started bringing more intensity in. Once I pick up my intensity, the whole team feeds off of it also.”

The result snapped one streak, but extended another.

The home-standing Hawks (6-3 Capital, 11-5), ranked No. 7 in the Times-Dispatch Top 10, had won eight straight games going into last night’s contest. The fifth-ranked Raiders (9-0, 15-3 never have lost to Hanover.

The victory ensured Atlee at least a share of the Capital District title.

The beginning of the game belonged to the Hawks, who took a 23-13 lead with the help of three 3-pointers in the final minute of the first quarter. The
Raiders settled down and chipped away at Hanover’s lead, closing to within 41-35 at the half. It seemed that different teams emerged from the locker rooms in the second half.

“We just kept thinking that we had a whole other two quarters — 16 minutes,” Henderson said. “All we had to do is play hard and keep executing and we’d be all right.”

An aggressive Atlee defense took control of the board, outrebounding Hanover and making the most of its scoring opportunities.

The Raiders held the Hawks to just nine points in the second half — three in the fourth quarter.

“The first had, we did a pretty good job. We made shots,” Hanover coach Kevin
Brooks said. “The second half, we just couldn’t get any baskets.”

Hanover led 47-46 at the beginning of the fourth quarter, but the Hawks managed to connect on only one free throw over the next seven minutes. The Raiders went ahead 48-47 on a layup by Henderson with 6:30 remaining.

Brittany Hill scored 17 points for the Raiders. Richelle Price had a double-double — 12 points and 10 rebounds, along with four steals and three blocked shots.

Hanover was led by Chelsea Coward with 18 points. Amanda Woolard scored 13 points, and Kimberly Browning added 10 for the Hawks.

ATLEE (9-0 Capital, 15-3) Hill 17, Spiers 0, S. Henderson 26, T. Henderson 9, Price 12, Ashcraft 0, Eberle 0. Totals 21 13-19 64.
HANOVER (6-3, 11-5) Dillich 3, Coward 18, Hill 6, Jordan 0, A. Woolard 13, Browning 10. Totals 18 9-12 50.
Atlee ................................ 13 22 11 18 — 64
Hanover…......................... 23 18 6 3 — 50
3-point goals: A — S. Henderson 5, Hill 2, T. Henderson, Price. H —A. Woolard 3, Browning 2.