Over winter break, Baltimore County’s athletes took very little time off, focusing on improving individual skills and their team’s performance. Some girls basketball teams held normal practices, while others traveled to face opponents seldom on their schedules. Here is how a few Baltimore County teams utilized their winter breaks: Carver: Head coach Kevin Perry explained that his team has taken the break to focus on improving fundamentals in their team practices this winter. The Wildcats opened their season with a home win against Overlea and a road win against Green Street before going 2-2 ahead of the break. The team’s focus is solely on two games in this first week back, as they will travel to Sparrows Point on Wednesday and host Towson on Friday. Catonsville: The Comets participated in the 695 Holiday Hoops tournament, winning their bracket after playing two games. The team took down the Tuscarora Titans 48-28 in their first game, followed by a 53-28 win over the Edmonson-Westside Red Storm. New Town: The Titans participated in the 695 Holiday Hoops tournament, facing off against Manchester Valley from Carroll County and Largo from Prince George’s. After dropping their first game 51-33, the team bounced back, as they defeated the Lions 55-42. In the win, senior Makiah Pollard scored 23 points in the second half, with eleven rebounds to add on. Perry Hall: The Gators participated in the Overlea holiday showdown, playing two games on Monday, December 29, and Tuesday, December 30. In game one, Perry Hall took down the Mervo Mustangs 53-23. Taylor Pollard was the Gator’s leading scorer, putting up 15 points with five steals. Denim Waters added nine and Deamya Ojo eight. In their second game, Perry Hall won again, this time against the Dunbar Poets, by a final score of 54-32. Perry Hall led by a narrow seven point margin at halftime, but Pollard’s seventeen total points and Ojo’s twelve rebounds propelled the team to the big win. Pikesville: The Panthers traveled to Salisbury to participate in the Governor’s Challenge, playing two games early last week. On day one, the team took down Queen Anne’s County High 50-27, and in the championship game on Tuesday, Pikesville triumphed against the Smyrna Eagles 55-47. Nyjae Malikali-El led the scoring for Pikesville in the championship, with nineteen points and seven steals, and also won the tournament’s skills competition. Freshman Kyndall Richardson also won the three-point challenge, bringing yet another trophy home for the five-time consecutive state champions. Towson: The Generals currently sit at the top of Baltimore County with a 5-0 record, highlighted by strong wins over Western Tech, Parkville, and Loch Raven. Eric Erhardt, the Generals’ head coach, explained that his team had practices as normal, and that the team typically does not participate in holiday tournaments. Towson will look to continue their undefeated run with away games against Patapsco and Carver this week.