As junior Josie Crangle dribbled the ball down the court toward the basket, anxious anticipation mixed with nervousness was thwarted as the energy and companionship within the group collected into an unstoppable force, contributing to the team’s win against North Point High School with a score of 59-28, an exciting score for their first game of the season.
Varsity girls basketball has 10 players this season, and all of them have been practicing furiously before their first game on Friday, Dec 1. Additionally, they had games on Tuesday, Dec. 5, with a score of 41-25, and Thursday, Dec. 7, with a score of 57-26. The girls continue to sit a comfortable 30 points above the other team, with a record of 3-0.
This year, the teams are a bit smaller, having only a varsity and JV team with 12 players on the JV team and no freshman C-team, decreasing the amount of potential substitute players. During the North Point game, this meant players had little opportunity to take a rest when they got tired.
“I played probably the whole second half and then part of the first half. And then we had practice in the morning the next day, so that was tiring too. But once the season goes on, we get used to it. Personally, our bench isn’t deep at all. So it’s like the same people just going the whole time,” Crangle said.
(Ava Breuer)
Despite being tired, players on the team were able to persevere and secure the win. Junior Morgan Davis has made perseverance a goal for herself this season.
“I was definitely tired, like really tired during the game. I mean, Coach even said, ‘You looked a little tired out there.’ Yeah, I was, but that’s just something that you have to push through,” Davis said. “It’s really the mentality. That’s one of my biggest focuses this season: my mentality. So, yeah, I’m gonna get tired, but I feel like that’s the biggest challenge: seeing if I can overcome that, and not let it affect my play.”
Although the team may be smaller, the team is very supportive of one another, and they all are pretty close as friends. Freshman Jayla Robinson, the only freshman on the Varsity team, is refreshed by how supportive the girls are.
“A lot of us talk outside of basketball. So, we’re communicating outside of that. And spending time with each other, outside creating bonds and stuff like that, for games and after,” Robinson said. “It is a little scary because I am the only freshman on the team. And it’s been a little nerve-wracking, but the girls have been really accepting and helpful. And all of them are very nice, and it’s just been great.”
Since the team is closer than ever before because most of them played together when they were younger, the confidence and connection radiates off the court, and Davis is looking forward to the rest of the season.
“I think we’re only gonna get better, we had a good start, but as I said, we have things to improve on and I think that as long as we keep working hard and come together as a team, we’ll have a big season,” Davis said.
