The latest Duke Automotive-Suffolk News-Herald Player of the Week is one of the key reasons Nansemond-Suffolk Academy’s girls’ basketball team is again on track for a high-profile finish to its season.

Six-foot four-inch senior center Caroline Hogg has been giving opponents major matchup problems lately as they also work to contain previous Player of the Week winners, junior forward Kelly Hogan and senior guard Harper Birdsong.

“Most teams can contain one of our post players,” Lady Saints coach Kim Aston said, but if both of them are on the floor, it makes it much harder.

Norfolk Christian School was experiencing this challenge firsthand on Jan. 7. In NSA’s 59-47 road win, the Lady Ambassadors failed to shut down Hogan, who led the team in scoring with 17 points, adding 14 rebounds, and they failed to contain Hogg, who produced 15 points, a team-high 16 rebounds and six blocks, to go with three assists and a steal.

“I thought I played really well versus Norfolk Christian, because our team had to pick up the slack with Harper getting fouls early on,” Hogg said.

In the Lady Saints’ 65-18 rout of host Hampton Roads Academy the next day, Hogan, Birdsong and Hogg starred, with Hogg contributing 14 points and six rebounds.

“I kind of came out a little slow,” Hogg said.

Reviewing her senior season performance thus far, Hogg said, “I feel like I’ve been playing well,” but she has demonstrated a remarkable focus on team success over putting up gaudy individual numbers.

“Even if I have an off night and we still win, then I’m still perfectly happy,” she said.

The current season for her and her teammates is indelibly shaped by how the Lady Saints’ 2014-15 campaign ended. They lost in the Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools tournament title game and then fell in the first state championship game the girls’ basketball program had ever reached.

“Our team definitely has one goal in mind, and that’s to get back to both championship games,” Hogg said.

It has been a motivating force for how she has spent much of her time in the offseason.

“I just put in a lot of work this summer just to make myself better so that I can contribute even more to the team this year to make sure that we’re able to accomplish our goals,” she said.

And Aston has noticed Hogg’s development since her junior season.

“I think that her play with her back to the basket has improved immensely,” the coach said. “I also think that she works pretty hard in the weight room, and her upper body strength has improved a lot since last year.”

Hogg is also working to develop her abilities on the court for use beyond high school.

“I am planning on going to Muhlenberg College, which is up in Allentown, Pa.,” she said, noting it has a highly ranked Division III basketball program. “My heart’s set on that school, and I did an early decision.”