Winter sports have begun and the new boys and girls basketball season is underway. Both teams are thrilled to improve upon their previous seasons and become the best they can be.
Last season, the girls basketball team was met with lots of adversity, including season-ending injuries and player ineligibilities. Nevertheless, they rallied to finish as co-league champions and went on to play Archbishop Mitty in the CCS Finals and Oakland Tech in the CIF Northern Section playoffs.
Senior Alex Facelo was especially frustrated with last year’s circumstances but plans to come back stronger.
“Last year, our team was just robbed of our transfers and we had a lot of hurt people,” Facelo said. “But I feel like this year we’re out to give people a beating.”
Over the offseason, the girls played in numerous club games and continued their weight training programs in preparation for this winter.
“I feel like throughout the summer and fall we have had the same team,” Facelo said. “So I think that really helped us prepare because we play so well together.”
Another component of the team’s success will be the team’s chemistry.
“I think our chemistry on the court kind of comes off of our chemistry off the court,” senior Sachi Urushima said.“We’re all really good friends and have a good bond, and it really shows when we play.”
As preparations continue, Facelo is confident in the team’s ability to compete against the top schools.
“I know that we’re not scared to go against anyone because we’re competitive,” Facelo said.
“It also helps that we play together so well.”
As for the boys, the team faced top competition, like Priory and Sacred Heart, which challenged them to play to their best abilities and evaluate areas for improvement. This year, the team plans to hone in on their ball handling, passing and shooting abilities as well as their overall team defense. Senior George Textor is looking forward to getting better day in and day out.
“I think we can improve defensively,” Textor said. “We got a lot more experience on the team because of last year.”
To get ready for the upcoming season, the boys team played some summer league games and participated in open gym runs. Sophomore Josh Tian was an active participant in both.
“We did some summer league tournaments with the team to build our chemistry throughout the season,” Tian said. “It’s all about preparing mentally and physically throughout the whole season.”
As the season approaches, Tian is confident in his team. This confidence stems from the work they put in over the summer and their relationships with one other.
“We think we have a good squad this year,” Tian said. “We’re excited for this season and we’re ready to get some wins.”
