Girls basketball has had an incredible season thus far, coming in second in the Prep league with an overall record of 23-7 and a league record of 9-2. A team made up primarily of sophomores, the varsity girls basketball team has continuously worked to elevate its skill as a group and as individual players.
When asked what has fueled the team’s success this year, freshman point guard Lori Ohanian noted, “I think our success this season comes from our teamwork, dedication and trust we have in each other. Every player has individually improved this season, and with the guidance of our coaches, we have been able to come together as a cohesive team.”
There’s no denying the results of this dedication: the Panthers won their first two CIF games by more than a 20-point margin.
This season is a strong improvement to the previous year, when the team went 13-7, losing its first match in CIF. When asked what changed this season, sophomore power forward Magdalena Scholze shared, “This year, our team is very close outside of basketball. Being a young team, we are going to play with each other for a long time, and we have friendships even outside the team.”
Even though the team is still young, as Scholze notes, it’s evident that they worked diligently to improve their weak areas by pushing themselves during practices and off the court.
Scholze noted, “The primary focus of the team has been defense and, most importantly, communication. Taking on defense and offense is what we struggle with most, but we have seen a lot of improvement from the beginning.”
The Panthers’ effort and dedication were displayed in their second CIF game, in which they beat Shalhevet High School 66-44. The success of this game is attributed to multiple players, including junior point guard Areni Ohanian, who led the charge against the Firehawks, dropping 17 points and 12 rebounds. Scoring 16 points with 12 rebounds, Scholze was another key figure in this victory. This win saw the closure of a three-game win streak for the Firehawks, advancing Poly’s team into the next round of CIFs. Despite inconsistency with offense and defense throughout the season, Poly skillfully exhibited both in this game.
Despite bringing their all to their third CIF game on Wednesday, Feb 18. against Marina High School, the Panthers ultimately fell short with a score of 47-51. While this match marked the end of their postseason, it’s clear that the team has improved momentously and will continue to do so in the future.
Jason Mitchell
