With a final score of 55-47, the EF varsity basketball team beat Animo City of Champions Charter High School on senior night on Wednesday to end the season. Students, faculty, and staff from EF gathered to support the seniors and the EF basketball team.
The seniors–Aki, Vincent, Tom, Howard, and Ben (from the junior varsity team)–were honored by EF with flowers before the game began. The purpose of senior night is to recognize the graduates by praising their efforts, accomplishments, and contributions to extracurricular activities and sports.
“The best part of the season is that I got to know these boys, my teammates and coach, they’re like my family now” said Aki. “I like playing basketball and it’s competitive to play with these guys.” Aki’s teammates inspire him to put in more effort and improve every day. Practicing with skilled players like seniors Vincent and Howard, Aki said, “is my motivation for basketball. I don’t want to be worse than them. I want to be better than them.”
According to Jerry, an 11th grader who played on the varsity team this winter, “the whole season, the team, and even my own performance have been amazing. The last game especially stood out—it was a great experience. The best part was definitely the moments when I scored, and also when I made good passes that led to my teammates scoring. And of course, winning games always felt great.”
Although EF defeated the Animo City of Champions Wildcats last season on senior night, this week’s game was close. For three quarters, Animo City led the EF team due to their excellent 3-point shooting, but EF turned the tide and took the lead in the final quarter.
The EF varsity team ended the season 4-11. Although each game had a unique atmosphere, this last game in particular gave the basketball team a lot of motivation for next season. The crowd was excited with expectation. The bustle and enthusiasm in the stands along with the passion and effort on the court brought an exciting match and a satisfying result.
