On the court, Khadee Hession looks ready to take on the Hoyas’ upcoming season.
During an October practice attended by the Voice, the sophomore guard was confident pulling up from well beyond the three-point line as well as driving to the basket for layups. This year, Hession will continue to be a key starter in the Hoyas’ line-up and someone the team relies heavily on for scoring and offensive distribution.
Hession, who started in 29 of 31 games last year, averaged 8.1 points per game and shot 37.4% from three. Over the off-season, she said she spent time refining her skills and building on what she sees as key new ones coming into the season.
“My shot, my ball handling, my communication, and especially stuff off the court that could show on the court,” Hession said in an interview with the Voice, when asked what she has been working on. “I just wanna be well-rounded when I come on the court.”
Her well-roundedness coming into this season was noticeable within minutes of practice. Hession didn’t hesitate to take open shots from anywhere on the court or share the ball with her teammates in the paint.
However, what stood out most was her voice.
“I would definitely say communication is what I have been working on on the court,” said Hession. “Yelling so everybody can hear me, even [Coach Haney] on the sideline.”
With eight new players, improving her communication has been particularly important for Hession as she steps into a leadership role. Despite being one of seven returners, Hession is still a younger player. This does not stop her from being vocal and using her experience on the Hilltop to help out the newcomers.
Experience is a key part of what can help guide the new team to a successful season, Hoya Head Coach Darnell Haney said.
“As far as leadership is concerned, I’m looking at, of course, the people who have been here,” Haney said in an interview with the Voice. “We have a young leader in Khadee Hession.”
Hession attributes her leadership to having learned a lot from her teammates, especially former player Kelsey Ransom. Ransom, a Hoya legend who is the only Georgetown women’s basketball player to finish with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, and 500 assists, left big shoes to fill when she graduated.
“[Ransom] was a big part of our team last year, and she was a big leader in the way she played,” Hession said, adding that she admires “her confidence [and] the way she scores.”
Confidence is another key focus for Hession this season, she said in an interview with the Voice. She is looking to “take more shots, more efficient shots,” and focus on getting her teammates open, she said.
“Coach Haney wants me to play the exact same way and just have more confidence in myself,” she added.
That increased confidence is already visible in Hession’s excitement around taking on a larger leadership role, with a year of college basketball experience under her belt.
Last year, she scored her career-high 22 points against University of Connecticut—an impressive feat for a freshman going against the team that would end the season as national champions—but she doesn’t pay much attention to the names or rankings of the Hoyas’ opponents, she said.
“I just wanna win. I don’t care who is on the schedule. I don’t care what their name is, what players they have,” Hession said. “I wanna come into every game and try my hardest and do my best.”
This year, the Hoyas open BIG EAST conference play on Dec. 21 at Providence. If last season’s trials are any indication, this season is sure to have its challenges, but Haney is confident in his players’ ability to get the job done.
“I think we have a team that can finish in the top half of the league,” Haney said.
The Hoyas will be helped in achieving this goal by the fact that, despite the new faces, several of their key players, like Hession, are entering the season with an understanding of what to expect from Georgetown’s schedule.
“I definitely have experience playing against the teams we have played. Playing against ranked teams and stuff like that,” Hession said. She added that she is looking forward to “just taking what [she] learned from last year and applying it this year.”
As a star on the court, Hession often faces pressure and high expectations from fans, coaches, and herself, but she said that dealing with that pressure has been one of the most important lessons basketball has taught her.
“One mistake doesn’t define who you are as a person or who you are as a player,” Hession said. “You could have a rough day yesterday, but the next day it’s a whole new day.”
Hession and the Hoyas open their season at home on Nov. 6 against Stonehill College. While the Hoyas face a difficult schedule and a new team dynamic, Hession said she hopes to help lead the team to success.
