That belief is now paying off.
After dropping six of seven games in the heart of their schedule, Madison has regrouped and surged back into form, winning four straight — including a 55-44 victory over Valley View on Thursday night.
The Mohawks improved to 8-7 overall and 4-5 in the Southwestern Buckeye League Southwestern Division, but more importantly, they’re starting to look like a team that understands exactly who it is.
“I really think since Christmas break, the attitude has changed,” Madison coach Tommy McGuire said. “Not that it was bad before, but we’ve really started to trust each other. We’ve started to believe in our individual abilities, but also the abilities of our teammates. The kids are hunting for each other to succeed. They want that more than individual success.”
That was on full display against Valley View.
Madison pulled away late behind balanced scoring, defensive pressure and timely execution, outscoring the Spartans 19-11 in the fourth quarter to secure the 11-point win.
Senior Emma O’Hair led the way with 21 points, knocking down five 3-pointers and adding eight rebounds. Senior Liv Carpenter chipped in 19 points, seven rebounds and five steals, while junior Tatum Richardson filled the stat sheet with nine points, nine rebounds and two steals.
Junior Ally Crim orchestrated the offense with seven assists, five steals and steady leadership, while Madison forced 21 turnovers and shot 40 percent from the field.
It was the kind of performance that’s become a trend over the last two weeks.
“I think what’s been really good is that it’s been someone different every night,” McGuire said. “That’s what’s made us dangerous.”
The stretch began after Christmas, when Madison flipped the script following a difficult run of games. The turnaround didn’t happen overnight, but McGuire saw it coming.
“We’ve had a heavy schedule,” McGuire said. “We played three games in five days, and all three of those wins were on the road. When you go through something like that and come out with wins, it builds confidence. Getting four in a row feels really good.”
One of the biggest developments has been Richardson’s emergence. After battling a leg injury early in the season, the guard has found her rhythm on both ends of the floor.
Since late December, Richardson has scored in double figures in five of seven games, while also becoming a consistent rebounder.
“She’s really starting to come into her own,” McGuire said. “She’s been scoring, rebounding, doing a little bit of everything. She’s healthy now and confident, and that’s made a big difference.”
The return of O’Hair from a concussion also gives the Mohawks a boost, while Carpenter has continued to anchor the lineup as one of the team’s most consistent performers.
“Liv’s been doing everything for us all season,” McGuire said. “She’s averaging around 11 points and seven rebounds, and she just competes every night.”
Crim’s evolution into a combo guard has also been a key factor. After primarily playing off the ball last season, she’s embraced the point guard role while still being aggressive offensively.
“She’s one of the shorter kids on the team, but she’s our second-leading rebounder and leads us in assists,” McGuire said. “She’s shooting 86 percent from the line, controlling the game, making plays. She’s been huge for us.”
McGuire, now in his second season as head coach after spending years as an assistant under his father, Brian McGuire, said the growth goes beyond statistics.
It’s about ownership.
“I don’t look at it as my team,” Tommy McGuire said. “It’s a players’ team. Coaches can’t do anything without players. My job is to help guide them, but it’s their decisions, their effort, their want-to that determines how far we go.”
That message has resonated.
Madison’s captains — Carpenter, Crim and Richardson — have led vocally and by example, but McGuire says leadership has come from every corner of the roster.
“They’ve really bought into the idea that this is their team,” McGuire said. “If someone sees something that can help a teammate, they speak up. They want each other to succeed. That’s when you start to become dangerous.
“We take it one game at a time. We chunk things out — four-minute stretches, one possession at a time. That’s how we stay locked in. When we do that, we can be really good.”
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