With the winter season in full swing, UC High’s Girls Basketball Team is striving towards a triumphant season with new and improved methods for success.

   Sophomore Topanga Tusantoso played on the Junior Varsity (JV) Girls Basketball Team last year, and shared her thoughts on the end of her JV season. Tusantoso said, “I feel that last season, the team was very organized and the coaches knew what they were getting into. For the Junior Varsity Team in particular, we only lost one game the whole season.”

   Tusantoso, now being on the Varsity Team, is excited for what this year’s season will entail. She said, “I think that the coaches have learned from last year, in the sense that any mishaps that occurred will be sure to not happen again. The team will now introduce improved plays and deeper team connections.”

    Sophomore Livia Clark, who is a new addition to the Varsity Team, is curious about how her first season will play out. She said, “I predict this season for me personally to be a season of improvement and new experience.” As for a team, she hopes that the team “…will try our hardest and always cheer our other teammates on.”

   The team’s Head Coach Anthony Pollard agreed, “My hope is that we finish off what we started last year, where the team came within one round of playing in League, and play strong in this year’s League. I do believe that this year, the team can have a really good showing for CIF, and have a good chance at winning the competition.”

   Pollard started coaching the Varsity Girls Basketball Team at UC High last season. “I was very surprised when I was asked to coach the Varsity Girls Basketball Team, given that I had led boys basketball my whole coaching career,” said Pollard.

   Pollard shared his recap on last year’s season, saying, “I feel that the team pushed past people’s expectations, and excelled. [The team] won five games, when people were expecting us to win slim to none. We played lots of hard games, and had a very rigorous schedule which we plan to continue implementing this season.”

   Players have personal goals for the season. Tusantoso shared, “This season I would like to focus on offense. A goal of mine from last year was scoring more frequently, and I am continuing to work on that target this year.”

   Clark has goals of her own as well. She said, “I hope to become more confident and comfortable with the ball.” Not only that, but she plans to “focus on being a good and supportive teammate, and be a good athlete that coaches recognize.”

   The coach has targets for the team. Pollard said, “While I do not have personal goals, a goal I do have this season is for the players, which is for them to have a shot for athletic scholarships based on their performances.”

   According to MaxPreps, a sports statistics tracker, the Lady Cents beat Mission Bay on December 3, with a score of 37-30 and Hilltop on December 6, 44-27 (maxpreps.com).