In practice, tension mounted as the Lady Raiders argued with each other and felt like giving up. As they stepped onto Chaffin’s basketball court for the Kenny Whiston 7th grade Girls’ City Championship game, they shook off their nerves, kept a positive mindset, and remembered their coaches’ rule to communicate clearly. At the final buzzer, the Ladies triumphed over Ramsey with 34-30.
For Emma Foster, being part of a champion team felt amazing.
“We went through struggles this year, such as fighting, injuries, and people being sick,” Emma said. “To know that in the end, we won was a very good feeling. The best moment was when Natavia hit a three, and we all stood up and cheered.”
Akesiha Balingsasa agreed with Emma.
“We worked so hard, and it’s such a rewarding experience,” Akesiha said. “I’m so proud of my teammates!”
Scarlett Shook valued the win as a sign of improvement.
“Beating all the teams multiple times looks good for Kimmons’ teams,” Scarlett said.
Grace Fuentes loved that the team’s hard work paid off.
“Everything is a gift, and I’m excited to be part of that!” Grace said. “The best moment was in the first game of the City Championship. Everyone was so excited and all pumped up.”
Sydney Warr believed that the best moment was when they were huddled up and cheering.
“It brought us a little closer to each other because we’re a team,” Sydney said.
Valeria Martinez enjoyed the moment after the game in the locker room.
“Our coaches said they were proud of all of us, which made us appreciate all of our hard work,” Valeria said.
Nataviah Davis felt excited because KMS had not won a City Championship game in eight years.
“This is a huge accomplishment for us seventh grade girls and for the boys!” Nataviah said. “When we won, we splashed water all over our coaches, and it was the best! For the first time ever, they didn’t get mad and lecture like parents usually do.”
The City Championship game also had its challenging moments, especially since the opponents had an advantage over the Lady Raider defense.
“Some of the other girls could really shoot or were taller than us,” Emma said.
Grace Fuentes talked about how close the last game was.
“We were behind, but we caught up and won,” Grace said. “We were all proud of each other.”
Controlling their emotions was not easy.
“Our emotions affected us a lot,” Akeisha said.
Valeria agreed.
“One bad attitude can affect the whole team,” Valeria said.
Not only did the girls overcome their difficulty in getting along, but they joined the coaches in cheering each other on. This came after a series of practice drills to prepare the Lady Raiders for the championship bout.
“They coached us for our plays, free throws, and more,” Miracle Flemons said.
Nataviah added that Coaches Norwood and Curry made the girls condition often and run different plays.
“This was hard, but we had to do it to be prepared,” Nataviah said.
Vanessa Mendez appreciated the coaches’ encouragement.
“Our coaches prepared us by always saying something positive and making sure we knew what to do on the court,” Vanessa said.
Assistant Coach Norwood was most proud of the team for achieving their goal of winning the city championship.
“The girls had a great season with a lot of ups and downs, but they persevered through it all and stayed the course to accomplish their goal,” Coach Norwood said.
Coach Curry was most proud of the heart, growth, hard work, and commitment shown by the program.
“Witnessing the progress in each player’s fundamental skills and the increase in their confidence is truly gratifying,” Coach Curry said. “The girls dedicated themselves to the work and reaped the rewards of their efforts.”
