Freshman point guard Natalya Hodge (2) and the Bearden Bulldogs faced the Bradley Central Bears in a TSSAA Class 4A state tournament quarterfinal in Monte Hale Arena at the Murphy Center on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The Bradley Central girls won 55-53. (Photo by Danny Parker)
BY DAVE LINK
Natalya Hodge didn’t need much time getting adjusted to high school basketball this past season.
Not any time, really.
Bearden’s point guard was ready from Day One to be a freshman phenom.
“The adjustment was easy because ever since I’ve been playing basketball I’ve played up against older, stronger, and faster athletes,” said Hodge, who played at Holston Middle School.
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And it didn’t take Hodge long to find her niche with Bearden, which was led by 6-3 senior post Avery Treadwell, a Florida State signee.
“From the first day of tryouts Natalya was a pacesetter,” Bearden coach Justin Underwood said. “She had a very early offensive chemistry with many of the girls, especially Avery.”
It translated to an amazing run by the Lady Bulldogs (35-1) as they attempted to defend the 2022 Class 4A state championship.
They spent the season atop the state rankings – reeling off 57 straight wins dating back to the 2021-22 season – before falling to eventual state champion Bradley Central 55-53 in the state quarterfinals.
Hodge, the 5Star Preps Underclass Player of the Year, started every game at point guard, averaging 15 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 3.5 steals.
“The adjustment was pretty easy because I have some amazing coaches,” Hodge said, “coach Underwood, coach (Josh) Suttles, amazing teammates, and friends that helped make the transition feel like home. Plus we played ball the whole month of June before school started, so I was able to bond with them.”
GETTING STARTED
Hodge got her start in basketball when she was in the second grade playing against her big brothers, Dillon and Seth.
“I played street ball against them and their friends every day,” Hodge said. “I had to be tough to play with them or they wouldn’t let me play. I was always the youngest and the only girl playing.
“My parents (Gerald Hodge and Lakisha Dobbins) saw how competitive I was and decided to sign me up for rec league basketball at EV Davidson (Recreation Center). My first coach was William Anderson and he taught me the fundamentals of the game.”
When she was in the fifth grade, Hodge joined a boys’ team called the Rockets.
They practiced twice a week and played tournaments on weekends.
“We played in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, Sarah Moore Green and Eagleton School a lot,” Hodge said. “Playing with them made me more aggressive, faster, and stronger. I was ready for middle school basketball.”
Hodge was also involved in gymnastics and gave it up to focus on hoops.
“My mom told me I had to make a choice on which sport I wanted to continue to play because both sports interfered with each other,” she said, “so I had to choose and I chose basketball. I’m so happy I did because I love basketball so much.”
IMPACT YEAR, MOVING FORWARD
Nobody would have predicted an undefeated 2022-23 regular season for Bearden, which graduated four senior starters and six of the top seven players from the 2022 state championship team.
Among the departures were three combination guards sharing the point guard duties in Emily Gonzalez (Carson-Newman), Jennifer Sullivan (Tennessee Tech), and Bailey Burgess (Lee University).
“We needed a point guard after what we graduated last year,” Underwood said. “Natalya’s ability to handle the ball and run the offense was apparent very early. I think Natalya not being a stranger to playing against older players whether in middle school or AAU also helped her transition to high school basketball.
“Natalya has the ability to penetrate to score but also her outside shooting made her a difficult defensive assignment for other teams.”
Hodge was already playing big minutes before her backup, freshman guard Emma Rainey, sustained a torn ACL in mid-January.
Hodge, who’s currently playing AAU ball for Southeast United Elite 17-U, is fine tuning her game for next season.
“I’ve been working on improving my decision making, left side, mid-range, attacking the rim with contact and really just improving everything,” she said. “I’ve also been working on building muscle with my strength and agility traine
Underwood said Hodge’s work ethic makes for a high ceiling.
“I think the thing about Natalya is she’s not satisfied or content,” he said. “She constantly wants to work to be a better all-around player. Although she had a fantastic freshman season, I fully expect her to come back even better next year.”
College coaches are already taking notice of Hodge.
Underwood said she’s the most recruited freshman he’s ever coached, and schools she’s visited and been in steady contact with include Clemson, Tennessee, Florida State, and Kentucky.
Hodge has plenty of ambition.
“The ultimate goal is for us to win state,” she said. “We work hard. It didn’t happen this year and I was crushed. Another one of my goals is to reach 2,000-plus points before I graduate.
“After high school, I want to play college basketball, win championships, and then go to the WNBA.”