The girls’ basketball team has worked tirelessly since the beginning of the school year to get in shape and prepare for their upcoming winter season. Led by coach Anna Mendoza and assistant coach Evelyn Oveedo, the girls, both JV and Varsity, have made significant progress since the start of the school year.
The team has already had seven fall tournament games, has played 2 of the three non-league preseason games, and is scheduled to have spring tournaments after their season. The coaches are making every effort to prepare the JV and Varsity teams for their upcoming league games by getting them more comfortable with the sport. The Varsity team has lost two well-fought games, one against Valley Academy of Arts and Sciences (VAAS) 31-42 and another against Cleveland High School 15-59. The JV team took home two wins, 19-16 against VAAS and 33-11 against Cleveland. No matter their losses or wins, the season is only beginning, and they can only get better from here on out.
.jpg)
Grant Varsity vs. VAAS (31-42 L)
.jpg)
Grant Junior Varsity vs. VAAS (19-16 W)
The difference this year, however, is that the Varsity team is made up entirely of underclassmen, with only one senior on the roster. Luckily, I was able to interview the lone senior on the team, Alisa Movsisyan, on her thoughts on the upcoming season.
Q: How has the team been doing so far?
Alisa: It’s been a tough start. The program is still rebuilding, and many girls are very pessimistic about the upcoming season.
Q: How does it feel to be in the program?
Alisa: The program is very harsh. As a senior, I have the most experience, but it’s never the case of seniority; it is based on who comes to practice and who doesn't. I feel it is good for those who want to start basketball with no previous experience.
Q: How do you overcome hardships?
Alisa: We usually talk to our coach about what we need and what we can do to improve our playing.
Q: What is your favorite drill?
Alisa: My favorite drill is 3v2 2v1, where three people start off with the ball and play against two people on the defensive, and whoever makes or loses the shot out of the three goes back on the defensive against the previous 2.
Q: How do you think the team will do this season?
Alisa: I believe this season has a long way to go,as we are still rebuilding, it will be a tough one but we can never predict the outcome of the season.
Q: Do you have any advice for those wanting to join the girls' basketball program?
Alisa: I’d say go for it. If you want to play basketball even just for fun, it’s a good workout, and the team is like family.
Q: Why should people support girls' basketball?
Alisa: It’s like any other sport. The football team gets support, and so does the boys' basketball team, so I believe every team should have support.
The girls have been against not only other schools but their own school at the alum game. The Girls Alumni game took place on Friday, November 18th, and was a fun and competitive way to show the improvement from previous years. Varsity lost, but the team showed great effort. As the girls prepare to start their season, be sure to attend a girls’ basketball game to see their determination and growth in person!
(Pictures from the Girls Basketball Instagram Page: @lancergbball)
Section Editor: Anahit Airapetyan
Editor-in-Chief: Nensi Hayotsyan
