A successful season for the Northview girls basketball team

The Northview girls basketball team reflects on their normal season and the beginnings of their regional season

Photos by Milly Miao, Managing/Multimedia Editor

Hritvi Ahuja, Staff Writer, & Emilee Leffew, Staff Writer

The Northview girls basketball team has emerged this season with great success and is currently second in the region with a 9-4 record. They have worked hard throughout the season to get there.

“It’s the same thing we’ve been working towards all season, just proving that we’re here, we’re gonna get the job done,” Aubrey Neimiec, a freshman on the team, said. “We worked so hard for this so why should we just give up now?”

They are a strong team, with the majority of players being underclassmen. With this, the girls are able to understand each other and have developed strong relationships not only as a team, but as individual members. Being a young team, they recognize the hard work they must put in to match the levels and experience of the upperclassmen from opposing teams, and this season has displayed just that.

“We are a young team, so it was hard to come together at first, but now our bond as a team is strong and our chemistry matches,” Kelly Reynolds, sophomore recruit, said.

Reynolds was one of the sophomores who participated in Northview’s pep rally on behalf of Northview’s basketball team and is a key player for the basketball team. She is a shooting guard and hopes to pursue basketball in the future. Reynolds has learned that through a strong team willing to work hard, she individually can succeed.

This season, the team adapted to many changes as two new coaches have come from River Trail Middle School, along with many new recruits. They have grown from their past seasons and created a successful comeback this year, winning a total of 18 games this season. The key to these accomplishments was Captain Habiba Shakir's motivation and encouragement at practices.

“We improved a lot more in our techniques, and as the oldest, I just try my best to motivate the team and to continue improving,” Shakir said.

Some strategies the team utilized this season include not allowing their mistakes to get to them and to work stronger as a whole. Their coach, Rosario Rice, has taught the team to never give up and keep going–there will be failures, but those failures are what lead to the team’s success.

“[Coach Rice] won’t let you give up; he’ll help you reach your maximum potential as long as you put your work in,” Neimiec said.

Neimiec joined the team through River Trail and has been on the team since seventh grade. As a freshman, she has watched the number of players on the team and development in the sport grow.

“It has been cool to be on such a young team; we help each other get better and it’s fun to watch each other grow,” Neimiec said.

As the team continues to play in their region games, they hope all their hard work and determination will lead them to succeed at the state tournament. They hope to use not only their teamwork skills but also their individual skills as players to achieve more in the next season, hoping to accomplish even more as they grow and persevere.