In a wild Sac-Joaquin Section Division I final on March 3, Oak Ridge lost a heartbreaker to Kennedy-Sacramento 62-58 in double overtime. Hoffman shined brightest in defeat for the Trojans. The sophomore guard scored a game-high 24 points on 8-for-14 shooting, including 6-for-9 from beyond the arc. Hoffman came up clutch in multiple situations for Oak Ridge, which included burying two of three free throws to force OT, and also hitting a baseline jumper that gave the Trojans a brief 54-52 lead with 12 seconds left in the first extra period.
In a wild Sac-Joaquin Section Division I final on March 3, Oak Ridge lost a heartbreaker to Kennedy-Sacramento 62-58 in double overtime. Hoffman shined brightest in defeat for the Trojans. The sophomore guard scored a game-high 24 points on 8-for-14 shooting, including 6-for-9 from beyond the arc. Hoffman came up clutch in multiple situations for Oak Ridge, which included burying two of three free throws to force OT, and also hitting a baseline jumper that gave the Trojans a brief 54-52 lead with 12 seconds left in the first extra period.
SportStars: Were you surprised by your shooting performance, especially considering that you were playing in the Section final at Power Balance Pavilion?
Jenn Hoffman: Yeah, I was surprised because my shot had been off lately. My coaches had been working with me and I got more confidence when I started making shots. My teammates did a great job of finding me and getting the ball to me for open shots.
SSM: What was going through your mind when you were on the free throw line at the end of regulation?
JH: I just knew that I had to stay confident even after I missed the first one. It was hard, but I was focusing on not being nervous and being confident that I would make the shots.
SSM: What was discussed in the huddle when Kennedy called a timeout before your last of the three free throw attempts?
JH: The coaches reminded me to stay calm and my teammates told me that they knew I could make the shot. We really just tried to be confident that I would make the shot and focused on getting to overtime.
SSM: How has the team responded, shifting focus to the NorCal Playoffs after such a tough loss?
JH: We’re concentrating on clearing our heads and keeping our heads up. It was a tough loss, but we’re excited about NorCals and working real hard to get back on track now that we have another opportunity.
HONORABLE MENTION
D’Erryl Williams — The Sheldon-Sacramento junior point guard scored 16 points, including six in the final two minutes, and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the Huskies to a 49-44 victory over Jesuit in the SJS Div. I final on March 3.
Syria Rhodes — The senior wrestler for Valley-Sacramento overcame a shoulder injury to defeat Cadence Lee of Gunn-Palo Alto in overtime to win the 103 pound championship at the CIF Girls State Wrestling Championships on Feb. 25.
Jake Elliott — The Oakmont Roseville senior wrestler captured his second straight SJS Masters title with an 11-4 decision in the 152-pound final. He then gained a second-place medal at the state championships.