Young girls’ basketball team has high ambitions

Head Coach: Danny Wallace

2016-2017 record: Overall 14-11, League 5-7

2016-2017 recap: The girls finished fifth in their league, losing 61-37 to Palo Alto in the De Anza League Championships.

Key Additions: Freshman guard Iris Lee, freshman guard Jane Loo and freshman guard Kaitlyn Wu

Key Matchups: Homestead, Los Gatos

Star Players: Senior point guard Chloe Fung and senior post Harshini Ramaswamy

Key Losses (graduated athletes): Rachel Davey, Aryana Goodarzi

League: De Anza League

After a successful 2016-17 season ending in a loss to Sobrato High in CCS quarterfinals, the varsity girls’ basketball team will remain in the more competitive De Anza League.

The players expect an uphill battle this year. Out of the 13 girls on last year’s roster, only three return: senior point-guard Chloe Fung, senior post Harshini Ramaswamy and sophomore post Ella Parr.

Despite this setback, previous JV coach Danny Wallace, who is switching places with longtime coach Mike Davey, is confident in the team’s motivation and skill to achieve its ambitious goal of winning league and hopefully CCS.

Ramaswamy had been working on her post moves and will likely be a leading scorer.

Wallace said that the players will have to get used to playing with each other and get comfortable with their moves and team dynamics.

“We are going to be spending a good month learning how to be like a team,” Wallace said. He hopes the players will have a “phenomenal bond with each other.”

Wallace, said that he will have to adapt to his team. Due to the team’s small size and quickness, he hopes his players will push the ball up and down the court.

“I really believe in my girls,” Wallace said. “I think they can win every game they play.

Incoming past JV members and freshmen have already started adapting to the more competitive level of varsity. Open gyms and other training sessions in the off season have offered players a chance to improve their skills.

The team will consist of 11 players and a team manager, Sirisha Munukutla.  Freshmen Iris Lee, Jane Loo and Kaitlyn Wu are key additions.

“I think our team will be successful because we have good communication,” Lee said. “Everyone trusts each other.”