On Jan. 17, the Gabrielino High School girls varsity basketball team narrowly secured their first-place position in the league, winning against Marshall High School, 38-35. The team remains undefeated, with the Marshall game having been their closest one yet.
On Jan. 10, the Eagles defeated Rosemead High School, 45-22. Many girls on the team viewed the game as a must-win because of Gabrielino’s long-standing rivalry with Rosemead.
“I was super excited since the Rosemead game was our first home game back from break,” said senior Sarah Banh, captain. “Rosemead was also talking a ton of smack and sharing posters mocking our team, and that was definitely a morale boost for us to make sure we beat them again this year; we hoped to keep our winning streak, and we did.”
While they won all their games this season, the Eagles have faced great challenges, including intense competition, team management issues, and injuries. The girls were determined to treat adversity as an opportunity to grow and strengthen themselves.
“During Thanksgiving break we had a tournament with Polytechnic and made it to the Championship round. This ref was extremely biased and made horrible calls, so we ended up getting second place in the whole tournament,” stated Banh. “We were extremely angry about what had taken place, and our coach ended up giving us permission to destroy our second place trophy. I feel very comfortable voicing my anger with the team, and (the experience) allowed us to get so much closer.”
With the wins against Marshall and Rosemead, the girls varsity team remains Mission Valley League Champions. Many of the girls credit the bonds created throughout their season for their ability to remain a competitive and outstanding team.
“I definitely think it’s our team chemistry which has allowed us to remain league champions,” shared junior Maya Katz. “We’ve played so many tough teams where we have been forced to work together and become closer in order to win.”
The Eagles’ game against Marshall was the hardest they faced this season. The game nearly ended their season-long win streak, with Marshall holding a one-point lead, 33-32, until the last minute of the fourth quarter.
“The last few moments were extremely nerve wracking, but I was able to remain confident since I knew the team had each other’s back no matter the result,” stated junior Ava Yamashita with a smile. “Our last few plays were definitely crucial, but I owe it to our team synergy that we were able to secure the win.”
With this year marking her final season, Banh has high hopes for her team. As she prepares to graduate, Banh hopes the team will not only make it far in CIF this year, but also that the underclassmen on the team will continue to remain passionate about basketball.
“I am confident that we will be able to make it to CIF this year, but I’ve noticed with the underclassmen that their love for the sport is kind of dying,” remarked Banh. “They’re burnt out, and as someone who has learnt and grown so much from basketball, I really hope I can stand as a testament to stick with the sport and remain passionate.”
