Girls basketball barely misses playoffs after strong finish

Even though the Samo girls basketball team didn’t qualify for the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) playoffs, the Vikings still saw progress from last year’s season, as they were able to end their season in fourth place in Ocean League with a 5-5 record this year.Considering multiple injuries arising throughout the season, the girls were able to hold their own against highly ranked teams, such as Culver City High School and Lawndale High School.“This year we learned to depend on different players at various times throughout the year due to injury, illness or skill needed,” head coach Marisa Silvestri said. “We also learned that each player has a role that is essential for us to win as a team.”While the team didn’t win every game, it saw a number of unlikely victories that can be partly credited to the team’s strong bond this year.“We all got together to watch the Japan Academy Award and that was a real turning point as we began sharing about our team culture,” team captain Kate Rusk-Kosa (’16) said. “I think this really showed in how we ended the season”Their cohesiveness as a unit has resulted in some incredible victories that would not have been possible without such strong communication.“We beat Beverly twice, and since a lot of us are seniors, it was a great way to go out,” shooting guard Corrie Kim (’16) said. “This has been an especially close group and I think that definitely made us play better as a unit.”The team’s Ocean League record was the best it has been in a few years and while the team did not make it into the CIF playoffs, it made some strides and became more cohesive and communicative as a team.“We were 5-5 in Ocean League and 10-14 overall,” Silvestri said. “I learned that sometimes working through adversity can show you talent and leadership in places you hadn't noticed before.”Among the team’s most notable feats was a tournament game in Santa Barbara against San Luis Obispo, when Samo played with only five players. According to post Carmen Donate (’18), the weekend was a turning point for the team.“The trip really brought us closer,” Donate said. “We learned new things about each other and everyone played really well.”After a two-week recuperation period, the team will begin conditioning a new batch of girls for next year’s varsity team as several of the seniors will be saying goodbye to their fellow teammates.“Conditioning started this week and will continue throughout the summer for next season,” Silvestri said. “We will hold tryouts at the end of school for summer league teams and training.”Although the numbers don’t jump off the page, it has been an amazing season in terms of team bonding, skill development and personal growth.