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04/18/2019 12:00 AMThe Hand girls’ basketball team defined itself as a club that stepped up, grew as a group, and exceeded expectations as the 2018-’19 season wore on. One athlete who embodies all of the Tigers’ positive qualities is junior captain Summer Adams.
Summer, who plays both guard and forward, began her basketball journey when she signed up for rec hoops in the 3rd grade. She later moved on to travel ball, before joining the squad at the high school.
After grabbing some valuable varsity minutes in her sophomore year, Summer earned the honor to lead Hand as a captain this season. Summer averaged a team-best 5.9 rebounds to go along with 7.1 points and 1.4 steals per night, while helping the young Tigers advance to championship game of the Class L State Tournament as the No. 19 seed.
“Coming in, we thought it might be a rebuilding year, but we knew we had a lot of potential. We also had a tough schedule, and it helped prepare us for the postseason, but we didn’t think we’d be that successful,” Summer says. “After we upset Mercy in the first round of SCCs, we had so much more confidence heading into states. We kept focusing on one game at a time.”
Summer had a rough start to her season after suffering a knee injury, although that time on the sidelines gave her the chance to see the Tigers’ potential from a fresh perspective. As a result, Summer felt optimistic about what Hand could accomplish when she returned to the lineup.
“I started this year with a bad knee injury, which was tough, but I saw how talented my teammates really were,” says Summer. “Seeing how much talent they all had really helped to take the pressure off of me.”
Summer’s varsity reps as a sophomore helped her get ready for the responsibility of leading the team this year. During the offseason, Summer spent her fair share of time working on her accuracy from the floor.
“I became more confident, because I played on varsity last year and got a lot more experience,” Summer says. “I felt I also had to step up more, so I put in more work to become a better shooter in the offseason.”
Summer has strived to be a leader for every team that she’s played for throughout her career. Summer likes being someone whom her teammates can rely upon to set a positive example.
“Leading has always been a big aspect of me as a player,” says Summer, who also plays outside hitter for the Hand girls’ volleyball team. “I knew the people were looking up to the captains, so for me, it was a matter of me respecting my teammates and them respecting me.”
Head Coach Tim Tredwell says that Summer knows how the set the right tone among the Tigers. Tredwell was pleased with how Summer worked her way back from her injury to have a great junior campaign.
“Summer has been a leader since she was a sophomore. She has the unique ability to bring people together and help them focus on what’s best for the team. Her energy, personality, and offbeat sense of humor make everyone gravitate towards her, which allows her to have a very powerful impact on our group,” says Tredwell. “At the beginning of the season, Summer struggled through a knee injury that really limited her mobility. Instead of moping or complaining, she adjusted her game, so she could be more productive. By the end of the season, she had developed into a physical, hard-nosed rebounder who wasn’t afraid to mix it up in the paint.”
Hand has big expectations and a hunger for the gold following this winter’s thrilling playoff ride. Next season, Summer and company will look to satisfy that appetite by returning to Mohegan Sun and taking home the title.
“We are only losing one senior, so we definitely have the potential to make another big run,” says Summer, who thanks her family, all of her coaches, and her trainer Mike Claxton. “But we might want to have a different outcome next year.”