On March 2, Sidwell’s Boys and Girls Varsity Basketball Teams competed in the District of Columbia State Athletic Association (DCSAA) Championship. The games were held at the Charles E. Smith Center, George Washington University’s primary indoor athletic facility.
Both programs were the second-seeded teams and played against Washington’s top-ranked basketball teams. The girls team won after a dominant performance against St. John’s College High School, but the boys fell short of their fourth consecutive state championship, losing 67-51 to the Gonzaga College High School Eagles.
The DCSAA final marked the end to two very successful seasons as the boys were the Mid-Atlantic Conference (MAC) regular and tournament champions, while the girls were the Independent School League (ISL) tournament champions.
The girls took the stage at 5:00 p.m. with an all-junior starting lineup led by Head Coach Tamika Dudley. The first quarter ended with the Quakers leading by one point, and by halftime, they were leading by 10 points.
The girls increased their intensity in the third quarter and showcased their talent, sophomore Pilar Lynch explained. According to Lynch, Dudley reminded them that the “third quarter is the most important quarter” during halftime. The team used a full-court press and was up around 30 points by the end of the third quarter.
The score was 55-29 going into the final quarter, and every member of the team was able to contribute on the court according to junior Ava Yoon. For many of the players, this was their first time competing in a state championship, let alone a college court.
After winning by a final score of 72-44, the players ran out onto the court to celebrate, said Yoon. Junior Jordyn Jackson had a game high of 27 points and was named the 2024-25 District of Columbia MaxPreps High School Girls Basketball Player of the Year, helping Sidwell win their third DCSAA title in the past four years.
For junior Delaney Hughes, this win was significant because “people underestimated our team this year, as we lost three starters to college and others to injuries for various parts of the season.”
“We lost to St. John’s last year in the DCSAA state championship game,” she added.
Nevertheless, Hughes said she felt proud that “we [the team] were resilient and fought through the adversity.”
This was also Dudley’s last season coaching for Sidwell, as on March 5 she announced her decision to coach for the St. James Performance Academy the following year.
Yoon mentioned how although the team was sad about Dudley’s imminent departure, the team was grateful for her and the three assistant coaches for their support and dedication throughout the season.
“Right before the game started, we all huddled and talked about how hard we have worked all year and how important this game was to us,” Hughes said. “We wanted to leave it all out on the floor and I believe that we did. Everyone on the team gave it everything they had and that led to our success.”
At 7:00 p.m., the boys took the stage. Although they did not take the victory like the girls, they had a hard-fought loss against a strong Gonzaga team.
Following the end of the game, sophomore Ian Condon was selected as the Sidwell Friends Basketball Player of the Game. Condon led all scorers with 21 points.
“Not the outcome we wanted, but we are proud of our team for competing to the best of their ability in the DCSAA Tournament Championship game,” the Sidwell Boys Basketball Team stated via Instagram.
The boys also thanked all of the fans and Quaker Nation “for the tremendous support [all season],” adding that “We will be back!”
The Friends Athletic Nation gathered support from students of all divisions, faculty, staff and families to cheer on their peers during this event. Students dressed in white filled the stands, honoring the traditional “whiteout” theme for supporting a state championship.