More Than a Win: How U16 D2 Basketball Built a Lasting Community

Writer: Eliza Prole
Editor: Dory Huang

The U16 D2 basketball season was quite a ride. Through the tight games, team trips to McDonald’s, and fun bus rides, our team formed a community that lasted well after the final game. 

The basketball season kicked off with a first game that none of us will forget. After leaving before lunch for a three-hour bus ride to Albert College, we stepped on the court with butterflies in our stomachs, not knowing what to expect but holding onto cautious positivity. It was our first time playing together as a team, and our uncoordinated passes and shots let Albert score almost 20 points on us in the first quarter. We were devastated, but we kept our positive attitudes. 'We didn't come all this way to lose,' someone said. We changed our tactics and received some extra motivation from our coaches, who promised us McDonald's ice cream. Through the next three quarters, Albert only scored two more points, and we scored more than twenty. By the end of the game, we were exhausted and ecstatic about our close win, 26-22. As our coach promised, we got McDonald's ice cream as our reward. The bus ride back home was long, but it was filled with chatter and laughter as we recounted the close game. 

Over the next few games, we had an undefeated streak, beating St. John's, St. Clement’s twice by around thirty points, and Albert College once again, this time with only seven players on our team. As we went into the game against St. Anne’s, who also hadn’t lost a game, we felt confident that we could beat them and secure first place heading into the finals. However, as the game started, it was clear that we weren’t playing our best. Our passes were uncoordinated and frantic, and as the game progressed, we began to lose hope. By the end of the game, we lost by less than 10 points, and our winning streak was over. We left in silence, each of us feeling disappointed as we replayed our moves, trying to understand what went wrong.

At finals, we refused to lose hope. Our first game was against Albert College, and having beaten them twice, we were confident that we would win. We were more worried about the game afterwards, against St. Anne’s. But after only a few minutes of play, it was evident that Albert wanted the win more. Throughout the game, we tried the tactics that had worked before, but they were more aggressive and more focused on the win. At the end of the game, we lost, but Albert had been so nice at every match that we went to cheer for them in the final game. St. Anne's won that final game, but the community built not only within our team but between teams was amazing.

So we didn’t win. But we got something even better, a sense of community. From learning Albert College's cheer to that McDonald's ice cream run, basketball has never been more fun.