The Girls’ Basketball team’s season has finally come to an end after the quarterfinal game against Savanna High School, ending in a heartbreaking loss, 55-51. However, the loss shouldn’t overshadow the hard work and history they made as a team for Heritage Christian. Throughout the season, the girls fought hard and battled through hardships together in tough tournaments, through injuries, and sit-outs.
Starting off the season, the team welcomed a new head coach, Jon Sampang, who had previously worked at our rival school, Village Christian. Not to mention, the year before, the girls had also gotten an interim coach, Coach Dudley, otherwise known as Pastor Dudley of Shepherd Church, to fill in for Coach Camille, who had gone on maternity leave. When asked if the shift was difficult, senior Junear Mansour says, “I feel like it was God’s plan having Dudley, it was like God’s foundation. We needed to have Dudley first so we could grow with Coach Jon.” With Coach Jon filling the position, the culture and standard had to be built for the future players of the team.
One of the first hurdles of the season was the Vaughn Tournament. Sampang says that the “Vaughn tournament was a deciding factor for where the season was gonna go.” This was the first tournament the team played in during the season and the tournament started off against Kennedy High School in a 51-49 win! It was a hard-fought game. After being down for the first three quarters, the girls turned it around and ended with the win. The next game was against Verdugo Hills High School, which ended in a 59-36 loss. This was a special game to the team, and the loss was disheartening. The next game against Chatsworth High School ended in a hard-fought 54-52 loss. Ending the tournament, the last game was against Santa Paula, with a 61-50 win.
Image shot by (Amazing Visions).
When the league first started, the team had to take a break due to the fires. The Palisades fire, which ignited in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles, caused widespread evacuations and significant damage to the surrounding neighborhoods. However, a more local fire, known as the Hurst fire, broke out nearby. Fortunately, neither the players nor Coach Sampang, who lived close to the fire, were harmed but only had to evacuate.
The rest of the season had its ups and downs, and injuries played a part. During the start of the season, specifically the first few games, starting freshman Naomi Kardzair suffered a concussion, which altered the team’s chemistry. Also, towards the end of the season, starting sophomore Hayley Reitz had an ankle injury.
After all the hard work during league, the team finished 4-4, second in league, which took them to the playoffs! They were entered into Division Four AA and played Linfield Christian first. The home game ended in a 61-49 win, a playoff victory that the HCS girls’ basketball team hadn’t achieved in nine years. The win led to the next game on the road against Irvine, ending in a 59-50 win. With the help of the HCS Cheer team, they had enough energy to beat Irvine without the home advantage. The next game was fought hard, but unfortunately, it led to the end of the season with a 55-51 loss against Savanna, the number one seed in their division.
Head Coach Sampang says, “All good things take God and work. I’m proud of everybody because the culture and standard was supposed to be set over a two-year period, and it got set within a year’s time. I’m not saying the future is gonna be easier, but it’s going to be more enjoyable for everyone.” Player Heidi Sprague says that you should, “Just have fun, don’t worry about the negative, focus on the positives.” In final words of encouragement, senior Junear Mansour says she is very grateful to everyone who made her senior year great.
While the season didn’t end in a championship, the journey was filled with growth, resilience, and unforgettable moments. The team has set a strong foundation for the future, with Coach Jon leading, and the lessons learned this year will undoubtedly carry over into the seasons ahead. The girls’ basketball team at Heritage Christian has proven that with hard work, determination, and faith, they can overcome any challenge. Here’s to the next chapter in their journey!
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