Friday, December 19th was an exciting day for all students in the Upper School for a multitude of reasons. It is the last day of school before break, the festive activities planned for the day, and the end of Kris Kringle, where people can finally discover the identity of their Secret Santa. But this day meant something different for a select few girls in the Upper School, because it was the day of the season opener for the basketball team.
The basketball team has been tirelessly training since Thanksgiving break with Head Coach Tony Bowman and Assistant Coach Robert Rogers. When the school was silent and scarce of students during break, the basketball team was working out and learning new plays in the gym. The hard work of these players is apparent during practice when seeing their skills shine on the court. Stuart’s basketball team is focused not only on winning a state title this year, but also on developing themselves interpersonally and creating an atmosphere of success. Their success started earlier this month when they played their first scrimmage against West Windsor Plainsboro South. Players were eagerly awaiting the chance to show off everything they had been working on over break. Stuart dominated this scrimmage, with a leading score in every quarter. Next, on December 11th, the basketball team matched against Mother Seton in a second scrimmage. This game was filled with tension and a highly competitive spirit from both sides. The benches were loud, and all coaches were roaring with advice for their players. Stuart led in four quarters, except for a single quarter with a tied score. Lastly, there was a scrimmage against Delran, which was highly entertaining. Fast breaks were frequent in this game, and even the most watchful eye could miss an amazing play by Stuart.
All of those incredible scrimmages led up to the moment that everyone had been waiting for: the season opener. The gym was buzzing with strategies, dribbling, and laughter an hour before the game was set to start. Seneca High School, located in Tabernacle, walked in with a serious demeanor. It was obvious that they meant business and came to Stuart with intentions to win. The game began with heat from a 3-pointer shot by Carmela Arana. She was fast, agile, and showed signs of high basketball IQ all game. Not only did Arana have a great game, but Leila Hernandez-Lewis couldn’t be stopped with her countless steals. Lia States was a layup merchant and hit a 3-pointer as well. Stuart girls were not the only skilled players in the gym with Seneca High School keeping the game score close. The game ended with a win for Stuart and a score of 39–34.
Stuart’s basketball team has a bright future ahead of them and many more challenging games to come. The program is entering the season with a winning mentality and won’t allow anything to get in their way. Once winter break comes to an end, there will be many games to attend. All community members of Stuart Country Day are encouraged to spectate and cheer on our team!
