The Irvington Girls Basketball team finished their season on Friday, February 14 with a record of 4-20, and 1 win in the Mission Valley League. Along with the four wins, they also had much improvement from the beginning to the end of the season.
This season was a bit different for many returning players, as they lost a lot of seniors and had to make many adjustments when playing. Captain Maya Sompalli (12) comments, “The talent was totally there, but it took time to build chemistry. As team captains, we focused on leading by example, giving constructive feedback, setting expectations, and supporting our teammates as they grew into their roles,” However, as the season progressed, the team’s dedication helped them to win and grow in confidence. Jolene Asia (10) a shooting guard for the team, explains, “I personally think the biggest challenge the team faced was having confidence during games, but over time supporting each other helped us gradually overcome that.”
Captain Lauren Trinh (12) also reflects on the season, saying, “Everyone on the team put so much dedication and effort in and I feel that now we’re at the end of the season, it paid off because I’ve seen every player grow individually on and off the court with their confidence and basketball skills.” The progress is clear, from a loss of 33-45 in their first game against Foothill, to gradually closer scores such as 49-51 against Tracy, to a 38-15 win against Newark Memorial on January 7.
Despite having a difficult start this year, the team showed their passion for basketball by pushing each other to succeed, and captains providing support to newer players. Asia states, “The captains and coaches helped by supporting the players and passing down knowledge that they have learned while playing the game. Overall, they helped each player develop and find the confidence they needed.”
One of the most memorable games was the preseason game against Granada, which resulted in a tie. Trinh says that “energy was really high,” and that it was a cohesive, clean game where the team worked cooperatively with each other. Another crucial game was against Tracy High School, where the team lost by only two points in an intense match. Coach BJ Hagood said that the game against Tracy was “a very good game and a total team effort. It was very encouraging to see us play that well.” This was also his proudest moment, reflecting all the hard work the team had done to reach an exponential amount of progress in a relatively short period of time. Sompalli recalls, “Everyone played their hearts out, and it showed. Our offense was clicking, and the team really stuck together. The energy was incredible, just like how it was with senior night, which was truly insane.”
Furthermore, the resilience of the team was reflected in their playing. In the face of challenges, the girls’ basketball team worked harder to rise to the challenges, growing as a player and person in the meantime. Trinh commented, “Although we had a rough start, to me the numbers and records have very little meaning compared to our team’s dedication, commitment, and cohesion.” The coach shared similar thoughts as he reflected, “A lot of progress was made this season. We started off slow with some bad losses but as the season progressed we found ourselves in closer games. This will be a very big building block as we go into the off-season.”
Overall, this was a season of growth and progress that showcased the team’s dedication and commitment to basketball.
