Deep on the southeast side of the city, a media convergence unseen in this gym in a while occurred. Twenty-eight games deep and the word had gotten out. ABC 7 in one corner, Fox 32 securing the bleachers, NBC 5 posted up along the wall. Cameramen and reporters. All here, because this time last week, none of us believed this was real.
Those of us who’d been following had honestly been waiting for the fall. The one loss that would make this story relatable to all of the other underachieving sports stories that have turned this city into sport’s new graveyard. We thought last week would be the “1.” Until it wasn’t.
On the right side of the standings when you look at the Olive-Harvey Purple Panthers women’s basketball team’s record, there remains a “0.” As in most things, when it comes to sports in this particular category, that means “unbeaten,” “undefeated,” “ain’t lost yet.” A number reminiscent of the first nine games of the Loyola men’s basketball season, until that “1” showed up, and then the numbers on the right side began to pile up.
But for the Lady Panthers, the “1” has yet to arrive (fingers crossed for them it doesn’t Saturday against Carl Sandburg College or after their final game of the regular season Thursday against Kennedy-King) as the “28” stands alone to the left.
Which made an omission in the rankings problematic. How can a National Junior College Athletic Association Division I Region 4 hoop squad be 28-0 and not be ranked in the NJCAA top 25? All season long? And not even mentioned throughout the season as a team worthy of any votes?
Way too many in the gym caught up in our feelings. The reasons varied across all local, regional, racial, economic and societal rationale. “It’s because they play on the South Side of Chicago and not somewhere in Florida or Texas.” “It’s because they are a part of the Chicago City Colleges and not in some major junior-college conference.” “It’s because the team is mostly made up of black girls who came from public schools.” “It’s just straight up hate and jealousy because they’re beating all of these schools that no one on the NJCAA committee thought they’d be able to beat.”
So when the NJCAA women’s Region 8 director and vice chair of the NJCAA ranking committee sent back an email breaking it all down, there was silence amid our ignorance.
• OHC has the 328th toughest schedule of 404 teams in the NJCAA.
• OHC has played five Division I schools, who have a combined .297 winning percentage.
• OHC has played 17 Division II schools, who have a combined winning percentage of .488.
• The winning percentage of all OHC -opponents is .454.
• In the NJCAA ratings, OHC is the 155th-best team in the country.
Ah. Understood.
Still, 28-0 means something. And in this moment — in this city, for this city — we have to make it have meaning. Because undefeatedness, no matter of how it comes, this late in a college basketball season, irrespective how achieved, does not happen by accident. It’s proof of something foundational, worth attention and acknowledgement. Regardless of how the outside of Chi world justifies it.
For a team that only had nine wins last season.
“Now the thing is for this to be the standard,” head coach Jeff Dillard said of the record’s and season’s meaning. “Not that we need it from other regions, but it feels good to be respected. To where the region and mainly City Colleges is respected. To where the girls are challenged to stay here. To where they say, ‘I don’t have to go across the country to get a quality education and be in a quality basketball program.’ ”
They have a Simeon pipeline that runs deep and runs the team. The three “franchise-building” players and Dillard all come from the legendary Bob Hambric School of Hoop.
Cashay Dixon, a mother of a 2-year-old, who leads Region 4 in steals (and is 12th in assists), is their Hannah Hidalgo and Kiki Rice combo. Nakia Bardney, second in Region 4 in points, sixth in points per game (and 13th in blocks), is their Madison Booker. Khaniah Gardner, who’s second in Region 4 in rebounds, third in rebounds per game and third in steals, is their Aneesah Morrow. Just all on the same team. Forming a family that refuses, thus far, to lose. Toni Morrison has a name for women like them.
Tia Ewing of Fox 32 spoke to everything the team represents whether they remain undefeated or not.
“It’s incredible to see a true Chicago story unfold. All but two players on the team are from the city, making this a hometown journey in every sense,” she said. “There’s nothing like a great comeback story, and this team embodies that spirit. While their tuition is covered, these young women must figure out all other expenses on their own. That level of determination — on and off the court — speaks volumes. It’s the kind of resilience that can’t be defeated no matter what the scoreboard says.”
Only to have coach Dillard put a cap on the whole situation: “Do we feel disrespected? Oh, yeah. Absolutely. But it’s OK. Because once you match up against us, you’re going to know you played.”