Rebuilding Varsity Girls Basketball Team Finishes December Schedule on a Positive Note

It has been a tough first month for the Varsity Girls Basketball team. This squad has many new faces and most of the players seeing a lot of game time are largely inexperienced. Add to this, the fact that the December schedule is quite difficult and one can easily see how challenging the beginning of this season has been. Still, the girls managed to start this stretch with a win and they were able to finish it with a win also. In between, there was a good deal of growth and coming together as a group that took place. The team's overall record is 2 wins and 6 losses, but they are a respectable 2 wins and 2 losses in IPPSAL Girls Basketball league play. That mark was secured on the day before holiday break with an impressive 10 point win over league rival Upper Room. Assistant Head Coach Coach Reynolds remarked that it was the girls "best all around game so far this year" and that the team displayed an "ability to play smart" as they protected their lead in the closing minutes.

How Did the Upper Room Game Unfold?

After a first half that saw the evenly matched teams trade baskets, the Lady Panthers took over in the second stanza to get the big W. Sophomore point guard Monique Kelly was at her best as she erupted for 18 second half points on the way to a career high 24 points in all. In addition to her scoring, Kelly added 6 steals and 6 rebounds to lead the girls to victory. Also impressive in the win was the play of Sophomore center Akanksha Trivedi. Trivedi threw in 14 points, mostly from in the paint, as she and Senior forward, and rebounding machine, Yola Yu, controlled the inside play. The 40-30 win ends the early part of the season to on a positive note, and allows the girls to resume their training in January with a sense of confidence and purpose. A birth in the IPPSAL play offs is a difficult but obtainable goal for this group, and we are all behind them as they continue to come together as a team.