The girls’ varsity basketball team is playing the long game this season. With their loss to Calvin Coolidge High School on January 27, their eight-game winning streak was slashed, but the team showed again that they can come back fighting.
In the first quarter of the game, Coolidge took the lead, 14-6. The next two quarters, JR stayed hot on their heels with scores of 18-12 and 20-20. While defensive efforts were strong, the Tigers wavered in the last quarter. Junior shooting guard Lucia Narwar said they “gave up the little things” with time still on the clock. These built up and led to a disappointing 81-45 loss. This shook the team’s momentum and left them with a 15-5 record and a conference record of 12-2 as of February 4.
The team’s successful season can’t be overseen by the loss to Coolidge. After a tough start, the team made a big turnaround by virtue of their hard work. “We have definitely made some serious progress as a team, both with playing with each other and learning how each other plays,” said junior center Aminyah Muhammad.
The girls practice every day—running, getting shots up, going over plays, rewatching games—constantly trying to improve. “If we see somebody is missing a rotation on defense, we’ll work on helping them get to where they need to be,” assistant coach Aireon Boone explained.
On game days, head coach Stephon Seraile prioritizes putting their energy into every game. “We have a saying, ‘the standard is the standard,’ and our standard of play should not drop for anyone”. The team’s managers, Isabella Leon-Salgado, Kala Fletcher, and Marleigh Lewis, also abide by these in their own way; they are always present, focused, and have a positive attitude.
The team’s skills improved and a chemistry emerged which sets the team apart. “They love each other,” Boone said. This natural camaraderie demonstrates how comfortable players have gotten on the team. “It shows on the court when we’re playing,” junior small forward Jordyn McClusky adds.
As a family, the girls enjoy celebrating each other’s accomplishments. “If someone is having a good game and feeling it, we go to that player, just as long as we win, they truly don’t care who gets the glory,” Seraile said. Some milestones include junior guard Nawar’s 500 career points and Ava Piotrowski’s 100 points this season.
Anticipation rises as the high stakes games draw nearer; aspirations to win the DCIAA championship on February 15 and make it to the DCSAA state finals fuel the girls’ fire. Sophomore shooting guard Indira Best is looking forward to winning a championship and “cutting a net,” a tradition after a state title dub, with her teammates.
The varsity girls’ basketball team has grown on and off the court, making them a force to be reckoned with as the season continues. •
