Berkeley High School girls basketball had their tenth game of the season on Tuesday, Dec. 19 against the San Leandro Pirates. With a relatively young and inexperienced team, this season has not been the easiest. BHS unfortunately did not get ahead in the game, which ended with a score of 30-52.
BHS’s defense in the game was commendable. “I think defensively we’re actually pretty strong. I think we created a lot of turnovers, and I think the opposing team was having a lot of struggle with our defense,” said Reginald Figgs, the new head coach. BHS often blocked San Leandro’s shots and were fast on their feet to defend numerous players in a matter of seconds. BHS also showed strong offense at times including stealing the ball from San Leandro on multiple occasions and a remarkable three-pointer in the third quarter from junior Zariyah King.
In the second quarter, sophomore Najuna Kiggundu forced a San Leandro turnover and went for a layup. “I think that really improved the energy of the game,” said Kiggundu. A significant amount of points for BHS were assisted by teammates who had stolen the ball from the opposing team. This includes a noteworthy layup from senior Jamaia Harrison in the third quarter, with an assist from freshman Akasha Manandhar after she stole the ball from the opposing team. Harrison and Manandhar had good chemistry the entire game, passing to each other numerous times and checking in with each other through small on-court chats.
BHS knew there was room for improvement after this game but they were still proud of their achievements. “I’m never coming into a game with too many expectations…I think we’re still learning,” said Figgs.
Manandhar, the only freshman on the team, said “I just like to remind myself that I have so much more time to grow, and I just have to keep trying my hardest.” Due to the large number of underclassmen on the team, some team members see this season as a growth period for them to grow and better themselves for the future.