Lady Mambas earn national title at 2024 National Basketball Teammate Championship Tournament
Pictured (l-r) are Jayden Hatfield, McKenzie West, Hayden Rideout, Madalyn Easter, Jayla Haithcock, Lyrric Hanson, Aurora Stringfield, La’Niah Smith Karis Hudson and Coach Derrik Haithcock. (Submitted photo)
The Lady Mambas, a southern Ohio 13U AAU girls basketball team, represented Ohio at the 2024 National Basketball Teammate Championship Tournament in Rock Hill, S.C. and earned a national title.
The team, coached by Derrik Haithcock, includes Madalyn Easter, Jayla Haithcock, Lyrric Hanson, Jayden Hatfield, Karis Hudson, Hayden Rideout, La’Niah Smith, Aurora Stringfield and McKenzie West.
The tournament started with pool play June 20-22, where the Lady Mambas won 39-12 over the PAL Stars 2029. The Lady Mambas also defeated North Raleigh Lady Vipers, 43-33, and in the last pool play game won vs. Team Legacy Elite (N.C.), 57-41.
Going 3-0, the Lady Mambas ended first in pool play, landing a bye for bracket play on June 23. They earned a semifinals win, 52-39 over WV Wild (W.Va.) 2029. In the finals, the Lady Mambas won 41-39 over Upstate Sting (S.C.) 2029 to earn the seventh grade tournament national championship.
The Lady Mambas have accomplished so much with an overall record of 24-4, along with four championships (other successes: first place at Teammate Basketball in Portsmouth, March Madness tournament champs at Kingdom/Landmark and first place at Ballin at the Creek in Beavercreek, Ohio).
Coach Haithcock, along with the Lady Mambas players and their families, would like to thank all of our amazing community supporters who helped make this opportunity to play this season and compete in another national tournament possible. The Lady Mambas competed in Knoxville, Tenn. in 2023 and won its first world championship. The team plans to hold a banquet to celebrate their accomplishments in July.
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