By River Mitchell
@rivermitchell27
After a long day of buckets, boards and big time plays, day one of the 2024 Spalding Hoophall classic is in the books. Looking at day two, the slate includes more exciting games with the first game of the day showcasing Springfield Central High School and Hamden High School girl’s team.
Central defeated Hamden High School (Conn.) 47-37 in overtime. Despite the win, Golden Eagles guard and standout player Jai-Lyn Garvin-Martin recognized there is room for improvement.
“We didn’t play team basketball in the beginning,” Garvin-Martin said. “At halftime, we talked about it and we picked it up.”
Garvin-Martin finished the game with 11 points along and provided strong defense – racking up eight steals. She got out of the gates slowly offensively, but picked it up on both sides toward the end of the game.
Growing up, Garvin-Martin got into basketball through her dad who also played the sport.
“My dad always played and I liked playing,” Garvin-Martin said. “He took me to those games and I’d usually just shoot around at halftime and watch him play.”
Garvin-Martin began her basketball career at Chicopee High School, where she would later transfer for several reasons. The decision took about a month to figure out, and she chose Central due to the talented core they already had. Garvin-Martin was getting the proper reps with Chicopee, but didn’t like the attitude of the other girls on the team.
“It was a gut [feeling],” Garvin-Martin said. “It took me about a month to decide where I was going because at Chicopee I wasn’t getting anywhere. I realized that I’m a good player [and] I need to play with a good team to be successful.”
Playing for Central has also allowed Garvin-Martin to enjoy her time on the court and with her new teammates.
“[The team chemistry has] been good,” Garvin-Martin said. “I feel like if we continue to play we’ll build more and win more.”
Garvin-Martin praised how Central head coach James Gee pushes her everyday to improve, and how since her time on the team began, she’s learned that basketball isn’t just a singular thing. She looks at the team as a cohesive unit that could compete for a state championship.
“He motivates me everyday,” Garvin Martin said of her coach. “It’s not just a ‘me’ basketball thing, it’s a team thing. At Chicopee, it was just a ‘me’ thing. We’re gonna win [everything]. We’re next up.”
Looking at the opportunity Springfield Central has given her to compete at Hoophall, Garvin-Martin has enjoyed being a part of the yearly tradition here at Springfield College.
“It’s been real fun,” Garvin Martin said. “Other teams don’t get opportunities like that. My team being in it is a good thing.”