GIRLS FACE INEXPERIENCE
By MARK VAGELAKOS
With a 9-16 record the girls basketball team has confronted new players and close games.
As the team welcomed new players, veterans like captain Jaci Chastain, a junior with 82 rebounds, strained to make the team a cohesive unit.
“We struggle with everyone giving heart every game and doing their best every game. Most of [the new girls] haven’t played a varsity sport, so it can be overwhelming. It can also be a confidence issue,” captain Kyndal Skersick, junior, said.
Skersick leads the team in scoring with an average of 17.2 points per game and a 37 percent shooting average.
As the season progressed, the team built confidence with practice. Confidence remained an important factor to the team.
“You have to have confidence to be able to do anything on the court; if you don’t have confidence to make a shot, you’ll miss every time. If you don’t have confidence to defend, they’ll score on you every time; you have to have it to win a game,” Chastain said.
One of the team’s greatest losses was against University (49-50). The game was close throughout, but University scored the on the buzzer after getting the rebound from a foul shot.
“We played together so well it was really our best game even though we lost. It was frustrating,” Chastain said.
The girls also had several strong wins. In their win against East River (64-44), sophomore Bailey Florin scored 25 points and the team established their position against a rival.
“We really played together well [against East River] and played complete team basketball to win,” Chastain said.
Celeste Martin had 7 rebounds against East River to add to her total of 101 rebounds for the season.
As the season progressed and the team worked together on and off the court, they began to become closer through outside activities such as fundraisers and team meetings.
“[We really improved by] coming together as a team. In the beginning, we barely knew each other. Now we’re more of a family,” Skersick said.
“It’s been a growing experience for the kids and for myself. The kids learned from me and I’ve learned from them. I’ve probably grown more than they have. That’s why I’m looking forward to next season,” coach Tom Wills said.
BOYS STRUGGLE AGAINST COMPETITION
By MOLLY WALLACE
With an 8-14 record, the boys basketball team has struggled to perform above the competition all season.
“We are getting better every game, but we have a lot of work to do,” junior guard Kyle Leveille said.
The team fought to maintain a solid, season-changing winning streak, and finally achieved that in the game against Freedom, winning 50-38. The streak continued in the game against Timber Creek, winning 60-52. Sophomore center Robert Rimmer is the team’s main scorer, averaging 18.5 points per game. This season, Rimmer has scored over 350 points and made over 150 rebounds.
“We got off to a slow start, but I have seen major improvements recently,” varsity coach Greg Shirley said.
Shirley feels that their biggest difficulty was that most of the varsity players were new to the team and new to each other. Gaining skill, but also growing as a team was a challenge.
Against rival Edgewater, the boys came back from a 2-13 deficit and won 56-41, showing a great defensive effort.
“I saw a group of young men work together and sacrifice for each other. I enjoyed the player’s attitudes and how they played as a team,” Shirley said.
Key players like Rimmer and junior Hayden Hoevenaar, who averages two steals and three assists per game, have contributed to the team’s winning streak. The team’s success, though, was immediately followed by losses against University, 58-63, and Oak Ridge, 43-52.
“We do not get discouraged,” senior forward Andrew Hungerford said. “[But] we could be doing a lot better as a team.”
Giving high-fives on and off the court, the team proves they do not mourn over a lost game, but instead use it as inspiration for improvement. According to Shirley, the team continued to sacrifice for each other, giving up holidays and time away from friends and family in order to create their own family on the court.
“We are all good friends and have strong bonds on and off the court,” Leveille said.
One of their most difficult games of the season was against Winter Park and the country’s number one college recruit, senior Austin Rivers. Though it ended in a loss, the boys and coach retain a positive outlook.
“While I think the future looks great, I am only concerned about our next practice and game. I believe the team will continue to grow on a daily basis,” Shirley said.