Girls Basketball defeats Prospect High School 49-27
Matadors maintain a strong lead to take home their eighth win of the season
Senior Varshini Peddinti shields the ball from a PHS defender as she dribbles down the court.
December 18, 2022
Varsity Girls Basketball beat Prospect High School on Wednesday, Dec. 14, continuing the team’s undefeated streak and bringing the season record to 8-0. MVHS pulled ahead of PHS 31-8 during the first half of the game and maintained its lead during the second half to finish 49-27.
Both teams were initially neck-and-neck, but MVHS was able to break away and finish the first quarter 14-7 by repeatedly driving toward the basket in what senior and shooting guard Julianna Kimm describes as pivotal plays.
“When our shots go in, it makes us more motivated to shoot more, and then it gets us pumped up,” Kimm said. “So us being able to break away [at the beginning] led us to get an even bigger lead.”
According to Kimm, MVHS’s victory also came from the players’ strong teamwork. She says the team’s focus on communication led to smooth passes, which allowed them to control the game’s pace. Sophomore and shooting guard Clara Fan agrees although she says that the team’s synergy still has room for improvement.
“This game was good — it was a team effort,” Fan said. “Everyone contributed [and] we shared the ball well, [but] one thing we can work on is making sure that we’re aware of each other, like if one person stresses, another person covers so that our defense is more cohesive.”
Junior and center Sophia Lu adds that starting off the game with more energy will allow the team to avoid rough starts like the one they experienced in this game.
“Overall, the energy wasn’t as high and that translated to us not putting in as much [of an] effort and playing [as much of] a game,” said Lu. “[But] I think in the second quarter we picked it up and it was just so good.”
Lu hopes that MVHS can continue to play to the best of its ability and not limit itself to its opposing team’s level. She’s confident in the team, but notes that it shouldn’t take any victory for granted and that the team needs to give every game their all instead of just “playing it easy.”
Kimm agrees that the team will have to continue working hard to fulfill its goals. Both she and Fan are optimistic that the team can climb to the top of league rankings by the end of the season.
“We have a really good chance of being able to work really hard and possibly get second or first in [the] league, especially with it being a new league,” Kimm said. “We’ll be able to prove to other teams in the upper league that we are here and [that] we have the capabilities of being in the league with them.”
