With the winter sports season under way, the girls varsity basketball team has returned with a mix of new and veteran players. Currently, the team holds a record of seven wins and two losses, falling to Francis Lewis High School last Monday while defeating Flushing Campus High School on Thursday and John Adams High School earlier tonight. The team is now locked in a four-way tie with Francis Lewis High School, John Bowne High School, and Hillcrest High School for second place in their division. 

As the players prepare for the next weeks of competitions, they shared several aspirations, both for themselves and the team.

“I want us to be tighter and grow even more as a team, that’s my goal and I look forward to seeing us grow… until our season ends,” senior captain Kaitlyn Lee said. Senior Ebube Ajulu said, “I feel like chemistry is extremely important because you can have a lot of good players, but if they don’t work well together, then it’s just going to be a lot of flashing.”

As a result, the team is working on keeping their chemistry strong both on and off the court. Ebube said, “I feel like we’re having fun, like there’s a balance between being silly and being locked in.” 

Junior captain Sophia Madrazo said she believes that keeping a positive attitude will lead to success. “I think you have to make them laugh,” she said. “I think that’s the key.”

On a more personal level, players shared individual goals that they wish to achieve this season. Some wanted to improve on their offensive skill, while others wanted to work on contributing to the team as a whole. Sophia said, “I want to get a lot of assists this season, and get the team involved.” Likewise, Kaitlyn said, “In terms of offense, I want to be a shooter and drive to the basket more towards the left side.” Similarly, sophomore Summer Ko is working to find her rhythm this season. “My personal goals are to find out how I can best contribute to the team on the court because last year I was injured for a lot of it,” she said. “I want to find my purpose on the court and what I do best.”

Lastly, although the team is working hard for each game, there are still things that players are excited for during upcoming weeks. Freshman Esther Chan said she is looking forward to “making lifelong relationships with teammates,” while sophomore Ava Yan is “looking forward to spending a lot of time with the team and improving overall as a player.” Similarly, other players are anticipating specific events during the season. Sophomore Faye Simons said, “I’m looking forward to our non-league games this season because they force us to come together as a team and test our chemistry.” 

Meanwhile, Coach Lauren Caiaccia said she wants to make sure the girls have as much support as possible. “Follow our team’s Instagram page,” she said. “Support the girls when you see them in the hallways.”