Columbia, MD - The second half of the 2025-26 season kicked off with an all-time thriller on Tuesday night, as the Howard Community College Dragons took down Delaware Technical Community College 72-67.

Led by four double-digit scorers and a breakout game from freshman Laila Stevens (Philadelphia, PA/Lower Merion), the Dragons held off a tough Delaware Tech team throughout the night. Clutch baskets in the final two minutes from McKenzi Walters (Falls Church, VA/George C. Marshall) and Naomi Williams (Odenton, MD/Meade) gave the Dragons their tenth win of the season and their second-straight victory.

The Dragons came into Tuesday's game short-handed, as both London Galbraith (Washington, D.C./Friendship Collegiate Academy) and Hannah Chambers (Columbia, MD/Hammond), two of the Dragons top-three scorers, were unable to play. HCC changed up their lineup, starting Laila Stevens (Philadelphia, PA/Lower Merion) at the point for her first career start. Stevens immediately made an impact, scoring seven points in the first and leading the Dragons to a 16-11 first quarter lead.

The second quarter saw trouble begin to brew for the Dragons, as Delaware Tech outscored HCC 23-19. DTCC was able to capitalize on turnovers, forcing 29 total during the contest and scoring a point for every turnover they caused. Jolie Hamilton (Baltimore, MD/Forest Park) was able to keep the Dragons in the contest with six points off the bench, but a 6-0 run by Delaware Tech to end the half saw Howard's lead trimmed to just one point.

Neither team could shoot well to open the second half, and foul trouble put several Dragons in the danger zone. Hamilton, Jasmine Dailey (Odenton, MD/Meade), and Naomi Williams (Odenton, MD/Meade) all found themselves with four fouls deep into the quarter, forcing the Dragons to get creative with their bench. Thankfully, Savannah Price (Woodbridge, VA/Freedom) got hot off the bench and the defense clamped down on Delaware Tech to force a 52-47 lead entering the fourth.

Howard's lead ballooned to double digits early in the fourth quarter, but slowly Delaware Tech fought back into the contest. Dailey and Hamilton both fouled out, and with two minutes to go, Delaware Tech took the lead off a layup from Talaney Pierce. But the Dragons didn't panic. A wild sequence saw Laila Stevens (Philadelphia, PA/Lower Merion) drive into the paint only to have the ball knocked loose by Tech's Kai Burnette. The collision knocked the ball right into the waiting hands of McKenzi Walters (Falls Church, VA/George C. Marshall), who buried a deep shot to retake the lead. After a missed shot from Delaware Tech, Walters scooped up the rebound and found an open Naomi Williams (Odenton, MD/Meade) to ice the contest with a minute to go. Delaware Tech resorted to fouling, and the Dragons knocked down their free throws to escape with a 72-67 win.

Stevens had her best game of her career, knocking down 14 points, three rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Price came alive in the second half, hitting two threes for 14 points. Williams had an excellent night, scoring her first career double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds. Dailey also secured a double-double with 11 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and four steals. McKenzi Walters (Falls Church, VA/George C. Marshall) came close to a double-double with nine points, 11 rebounds, four assists, and three steals, while Jolie Hamilton (Baltimore, MD/Forest Park) added eight points and 11 rebounds off the bench. Emmanuella Oga (Randallstown, MD/Randallstown) secured nine rebounds, three assists, and four steals in a solid night.

The Dragons next face last season's Region 20 runner-up in Prince George's Community College on Friday, January 9 at 12:00 PM.