The girls’ basketball team made history this month, beating Georgetown Day School (GDS), 45-43, to become the first JR girls’ team to win a state championship.
This DCSAA championship, in the Class A division, came after a disappointing loss in the DCIAA finals against Coolidge.
“It was super surreal winning the DCSAA championship since we have gone to state championships back to back my freshman and sophomore year but lost,” senior center Aminyah “YaYa” Muhammad said after the game. Added junior forward Lanaia Martin, “When we won it felt amazing because [we] did something special.”
The Tigers ended the season with a record of 23-6, including 14-2 in DCIAA play. Muhammad said the team “played for each other more than in DCIAA,” where the team lost to Coolidge, 56-52. But she said that was what had “helped us grow a little closer and work harder for each other so that the seniors could go out with a bang.”.
Head Coach Stephon Seraile highlighted the unity of the team as a contributor to its success. “Everyone knows Lanaia and YaYa are our engines,” he said, “but without the driver [junior point guard Indira Best] and the rest of the team, we are not champions.”
At the final against GDS, on March 1 in GW Smith Center, Martin fouled out of the game and Muhammad was in danger of fouling out, too. Other players stepped up. Senior center Andrea Hardy was crucial throughout the game, attacking the boards with 10 rebounds. Senior guard Ava Piotrowski hit four three-pointers in the first half, with Best adding six assists. Seniors forward Jordyn McClusky and forward Gabby Chung supported their team with strong defense; Chung earned MVP honors in the tournament.
There are two brackets in DCSAA basketball: Class A and Class AA. Class AA is the higher class. Its tournament included the top four ranked teams and the winners of the DCIAA and charter school tournaments, Coolidge and KIPP, who were the only non-private school teams in the Class AA field. The Class A tournament included 14 teams. JR beat Ballou and Banneker on the way to the finals.
After their defeat against Coolidge, the Tigers had a whole new mindset going into states. “The difference was grit and how we responded to runs,” Seraile said. “We didn’t allow GDS’s shots to impact how we played.”
Coaches and players said the team’s main focus this season was living in the present, not the past—dwelling on mistakes would only slow them down.
“Whether it’s a bad play or a bad grade on a test, you have to move on to the next thing. In basketball, you only get three seconds to move on,” Seraile said.
“As a whole we were tired of being doubted, and wanted to prove the city wrong by showing who runs Tenleytown,” Best said.
As players got to know one another and adjusted to each other’s styles of play, their versatility increased as well. “We have players who can guard multiple positions, so it’s hard to defend us because we have so many players who can score,” Seraile said. “We know we’ll get consistent production from Lanaia, YaYa, and Indira— but on any given night, someone else can give you 10-plus points.”
One thing that the girls’ basketball team always prides itself on is community, a feature that anyone can see on the court in the way they play.
“I have learned that basketball brings so many people together and I have created so many friendships I’m so grateful for,” senior guard Lucia Nawar said.
Girls’ basketball plays not just for themselves, but for the whole school. “The sacrifices these young women make should be recognized,” Seraile said. “While many students go home after school or spend time with friends and family, these girls are in practice.” •
