The Girls Varsity Basketball Team and the Boys Varsity Basketball Team have both reached the end of regular season play with undefeated records and are in first place in their respective divisions.
Lauren Caiaccia, coach for the Girls team, discussed the team’s 14-0 winning streak. “Great teams do not think about streaks. Great teams go out there and compete every day like it’s the last game they’re gonna play, and we are a great team,” she said.
Sophomore Mercy Buenorty said that the team’s winning record was thanks to the team’s strong practice routine. With practices reaching up to 6 hours and spanning 6 days a week, Mercy said that “staying disciplined on offense and defense has been the key to this winning streak.”
Junior Ebube Ajulu said that the team’s talent and passion for the sport is what’s driven them to be so successful.
“Being part of such a strong team makes me feel supported even when I make mistakes,” she said.
Ebube also said that team bonding events, like Secret Santa over the Holiday break, have brought the team closer, specifically during practices because it increases the team’s energy and communication with each other, leading to better plays.
The Girls Varsity captain, senior Eva Jane Hannon, said that their “biggest challenge is always staying motivated and focused on the next game…Our season is long, so staying competitive and focused is important but can sometimes be tough.”
Abid Choudhury, coach for the boys team, discussed the team’s 13-0 record, saying that he “[attributes] this winning streak to the players’ discipline, willingness to grow together, and their ability to execute game plans consistently.”
Senior Andrew Leonard, captain of the boys team, said that the team was focused on “taking it one game at a time and not getting too ahead of [themselves].” He also said that the team needs to “remember that [they] aren’t perfect and…can always be better than the day before.”
Sophomore Jaden Avila, a player on the team, noted that last year’s team did not go undefeated and when asked to highlight one of the high points of this season, he mentioned the game against Energy Tech High School. The Boys not only won it—they scored 117 points.
“Everyone knows their role, and we all work toward the same goal,” said junior Christian Corcuera. “We try not to focus on the streak too much. It’s about taking things one game at a time. If we get caught up in the pressure, it can mess with our mindset. We focus on controlling what we can control and playing our game.”
With that focus having led each team to an undefeated season, the players are now getting ready for the postseason. First up is the girls, who will play Francis Lewis High School on February 10.
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