Game of the Month: Pres v. St. Francis

It was a fierce battle on January 19 when Presentation’s varsity basketball team lost to St. Francis 49-41. Throughout the whole game Presentation was neck and neck with St. Francis.

At the start of the first quarter Presentation showed how determined they were to win, with points coming from four different players. Senior Aly Murakami hit a three, while Savae Harper racked up four points and Courtney Danna two. A free throw from junior Janelle Schneider put Pres up 10-9 at the end of the first quarter.

Presentation and St. Francis remained consistent with their shots through the second period. It was a challenge for Pres to keep their lead, but after a three-pointer from Danna they were able to fend off St. Francis and stay up 20-18 before the quarter ended.

The third quarter was Pres’ biggest, with 13 points spread among freshman Akilah Jennings, Murakami, Harper and Schneider, plus two frees from Danna, but St. Francis kept at their heels. Senior Elizabeth Stelling racked up more than half of St. Francis’ 12 points–five from free throws–bringing the third quarter to an end with Pres hanging on 33-30.

The tough fight was clearly getting to Pres, as the team began to falter. Despite three-pointers from Dung and Danna, a flurry of fouls against St. Francis gave them seven free throw opportunities, racking up 11 of their 19 points. With five minutes to go in the fourth quarter, Presentation was still up 33-32, but it wasn’t enough to fend off a revived St. Francis, and Pres ultimately lost by eight points.

“Our game plan was to kick their butt and come out with a win, but unfortunately we got tired at the end and gave up our lead,” said Danna, who had a solid game with 11 points. “Although we lost that night, the loss gave us more determination to beat them next time and work harder in practice every day. So the next time Saint Francis plays Pres…they better watch out!”

Player Profile: Aly Murakami

Aly Murakami is currently a senior at Presentation High School and is one of the primary point guards on the varsity team. When out of the classroom, she can be seen wearing jersey #10, dribbling up and down the court executing impressive plays and scoring crucial points during high-intensity games. Even though she was injured during the majority of the last year’s season from suffering a tear in her ACL, she has recovered and is ready to bring her “A” game on the court. The Voice had the opportunity to speak with Aly about her basketball career and the upcoming season.

The Voice: When and why did you start playing basketball?
AM: I started playing basketball when I was in kindergarten because my brother used to play and I just wanted to be like him. My parents also played when they were younger too, so it just runs in the family.

The Voice: What’s your typical week schedule like during the season?
AM: During the season we practice Monday through Saturday and we have games at least twice a week. So after school I normally go home, do homework for a few hours and come back to Pres to practice. I try not to waste time and do my best to get things done as soon as possible.

The Voice: What’s your favorite thing about this sport? What’s the hardest thing about it?
AM: I like how basketball is a team sport.  My teammates push me as hard as I push them, which is helpful. But, I think the hardest part about the sport is just being able to read the game because it takes a lot of intelligence to understand what things need to be done, especially as a point guard.

The Voice: What are you most looking forward to this season?
AM: We have a really young team this season, so I’m looking forward to helping the new players because I was in their situation four years ago. Also, I’m looking forward to having a good season by keeping the C.C.S. title and hopefully win W.C.A.L. again.

The Voice: The team lost some key players from last year; how do you feel about this and how will this affect the team?
AM: We lost nine people; eight of them were seniors. Also, four out of our five starters are gone so we’re going to have a completely different team this year and a different style of playing.

The Voice: What makes Pres’ basketball team unique from all the other teams out there?
AM: I think this year we’re really close and we work well with each other around the court.

The Voice: Who’s your biggest rival and how will the team prepare?
AM: Our biggest rival has always been Mitty. We know their style because we play them all the time, so I think we’re just going to work hard in practices and prepare on defense and offense.

The Voice: If you didn’t play basketball, what other sport(s) would you play?
AM: I think soccer because I used to play when I was younger, until I stopped in eighth grade to play basketball.

The Voice: What was your proudest basketball moment?
AM: It might have been when our team won the C.C.S. championships last year.

The Voice: What advice would you give to a person who just started playing basketball?
AM: Probably just to work hard during practices and keep learning from your mistakes.

The Voice: What do you do in the off-season?
AM: I play basketball year-round, so there’s not much off-season for me.

The Voice: If you could play one on one against one player, alive or dead, who would it be? Why?
AM: I would probably want to play against Rajon Rondo from the Boston Celtics because I think he’s a really good player and I could learn a lot from him just by playing one-on-one.

Game of the Month: Varsity Basketball vs Westmont

Senior Chelsea Punian began the game against the Westmont Warriors with the tip off, knocking the ball away from the opposing player, but the Warriors gained possesion of the ball scoring the first point of the game.

The Panthers quickly took control of the ball and passed it down the court and the game began. Getting to the game, the score was Panthers 10- Warriors 5. The Panthers rapidly passed the ball back and forth between  seniors Nici Gilday, Stephanie Rechenmacher, sophomore Courtney Danna and freshman Joeseta Fatuesi until on a two point shot by the Panthers, Danna was fouled by a Warrior while attempting a lay-up. Danna took two foul shots from the top of the key and made both altering the score to 12-9 Panthers.

The Warriors took possession of the ball, only to drop it between passes and Fatuesi snatched it away passing to Gilday and the rest of the team. Passing and scoring commenced for the rest of the first quarter with 30.7 seconds left on the clock, the Panthers possessed the ball after a change of possesion via a passing offensive foul and Gilday made a huge three-pointer. But the Warriors took the ball with seconds to go and their number 30 made a three-pointer that ended the quarter with a tied score of 14-14.

The second quarter commenced similarly to the first but with the Panthers always having the lead. The Warriors always seemed to have the ball but the Panthers time after time stole possession and made the baskets. With 4:27 left in the second quarter, the Westmont coach called time out. The Warriors brought the ball back into play with a hard pass to another player who missed the ball, leaving junior Amanda Dung to swoop in dribbling the ball down and passing it off to Gilday and Fatuesi with Gilday attempting a shot but on the rebound a Warrior claimed the ball. She travels and Dung throws the ball in from the side lines continuing the game until the Warriors had the ball, but out of nowhere senior Molly Pearson glides in, snatching the ball and completing a lay-up.

The whistle calls for half time with the score Panthers 32, Warriors 25. Both teams leave to go to the locker room and return after the one minute warning bell sounds.

New players are substituted in for the 3rd quarter with speedy passes and points scored by both teams. At 2:35 seconds left in the quarter, some close calls occurred where the Warriors had possession, lost it to the Panthers. The Panthers lost the ball but Punian quickly recovered to score the point.  The accuracy of three point shots from the Panthers was amazing as was the speed with which the players passed the ball back and forth between each other. The fourth  quarter continued similarly to the first three with the Panthers continuing to hold control over the game to the dismay of the Warriors. Their coach called time out with minutes left in the game while the Panthers ran smiling to their end of the court.

With seconds left in the game, the opponent had possession of the ball but missed the pass and Rechenmacher and Dung navigate towards the hoop and Rechenmacher completes the lay-up just as the whistle sounds ending the game 67-41.

The Panthers, following winning CCS Semi-Finals, went up against the Monarchs (Mitty) on March fourth at Santa Clara University. The game was a nail-bitter because the team’s scores were neck-in-neck until the end where the Panthers won 44-41 becoming WCAl and CCS Division II champions for 2011. Great job Panthers!

February Game of the Month: Varsity Basketball vs. Mitty

The rivalry between Presentation and Mitty is legendary, especially on the basketball court. On Jan. 13 this rivalry was played out in a basketball game that ended in the score Panthers 47, Monarchs 81. Opening the game with a solid starting lineup, the Panthers upheld a four-point lead against the powerhouse Monarchs following a three-point shot by junior Chelsea Punian in the last three seconds of the first quarter. This left the score Panthers 16, Monarchs 12.
Both teams played with a tight defense, asserting themselves on the court in an aggressive manner. At first the Monarchs struggled to make their bank shots and lay ups. However, they began to sink their shots both inside and outside of the key. The Panthers checked such advances with adept dribbling skills and passing. Despite such efforts, the Panthers lost their lead to the Monarchs with a score of Panthers 24, Monarchs 28 in the first half.
The second half aroused a challenge as the Monarchs scored a series of baskets, fast breaks, outside shots, and three pointers. The Monarchs stepped onto the court with a dangerous, penetrating offense which proved difficult to match. Chelsea Punian, the Panther’s leading scorer, scored a total of 22 points followed by sophomore Kayla Bose with eight points and senior Savannah Morgan with seven. Even these numbers could not match those of the Monarchs.
Off the court, the team was at a loss as junior Nici Gilday was out with a severely sprained ankle. Gilday said, “We need to play consistently during each game. We need to be aggressive. Hopefully we’ll make it to CCS and win.”

Player Profile: Savannah Morgan

The Voice caught up with varsity basketball player, Savannah Morgan. This year Savannah is the only senior on the Presentation basketball team. From the looks of it, Savannah is on her way to a successful season with the panthers and a hoops-filled future.

The Voice: How long have you been playing basketball?
Savannah Morgan: I’ve been playing basketball since the year before 4th grade.

V: How did you get started?
SM: I needed something to do during the summer and I didn’t want to go to a summer camp. There was a little girls’ league called G-Ball. My dad took me to try out, even though I didn’t want to, but then I loved it!

V: Where are you playing basketball? How did you choose that school?
SM: I am playing at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. I played on a traveling team this summer and they saw me play at a tournament. Coaches from Emory called me and said they were interested. Then I got to know the coaches better, went to see saw the campus and fell in love.

V: What are you looking forward to most in playing college basketball?
SM: I’m looking forward to getting better, meeting my new teammates, and playing at a higher level.

V: What is your favorite position to play?
SM: I play point guard and it’s my favorite.

V: Do you have any favorite professional teams or players?
SM: I have a lot of favorite players. Right now my favorite player is Tyreke Evans. He plays on The Kings but I don’t really like The Kings.

V: Explain the best game you’ve played in at Pres.
SM: My favorite game was the SI game, the first round of WCAL playoffs last year. We beat them 52-51. The whole team played really well as a team, it all came together in that game, and it felt really good.

V: Being the only senior on the team, what are you doing to be a leader?
SM: I try to help the younger kids as much as I can when they come to ask me questions about plays and what to do in certain situations. And of course I lead by example.

V: What is one goal you are trying to achieve this season with the basketball team?
SM: I’m hoping to win a CCS championship with my team. And beating Mitty.

Game of December: Varsity Basketball

The Panther’s Varsity Basketball team took on the Evergreen High School Cougars on December 8, 2009, and came out with a strong win of 76-43 by the end of the night, making their league count 2-0-0.

Nici Gilday, a guard who has been on the Presentation Varsity team since her freshman year, was proud of the game and the outcome. “The second half really picked up. What it all really comes down to is that we are a lot more disciplined than all the other teams we have been playing. We keep fighting until the end.”

As the team started every home game, senior Savanna Morgan led the team out of the gym foyer of Presentation High School by jumping up and hitting the sign of hope written on the gym wall. It says ‘Hard Work + Determination = CHAMPION.’ When Gilday was asked why the team did such a ritual, she commented, “We started that last year, and we hit it because it is a true testimony of what we believe. A creed, really.”

The starting lineup strutted onto the court, confident with their size and skill. Molly Pearson towered over Evergreen’s center for the tip-off, taking the ball for Presentation for the start of the game. Within the first couple of plays, the Panther’s energy shone, although shots were falling short and no shots made it in the basket. By the six minute mark, the only score on the board was 1-0 from a foul shot. Soon after, Gilday put up a shot from a breakaway, making the score 3-0. Evergreen kept fighting, but by the end of the first quarter, Presentation still came out on top.

The second quarter consisted of a lot of fouls and baskets. At the end of the half, the score was 34-15. The crowd was happy with the first half, but left room for improvement. One person in the crowd, Taylor Johnson, said, “I love going to support my friends on the team, and it’s a good feeling when your team does better because they know you are there supporting them. The second half had so much more energy in the air.”

The foul list for the home team reached up to 19 team fouls by the end of the night, showing their aggression and desire to win the game at any cost. Forward Chelsea Punian’s aggression tallied up four fouls. Cooling was very happy with the speed of the game, and how the team has been doing this season. “Our team is just winning everything in dominating fashion.” With the crowd’s support, who wouldn’t want to show their panther pride?

Credit for the win not only goes to the Varsity Basketball team, but also to the coaches, Wade Nakamura and Adam Blightman. Assistant Athletic Director Stacey Mallison, who was there to support her team, found the game exciting and was proud to see their success. “So far this season, everything looks good. There is a lot of potential and talent out on that court,” she said. “The game showed me that their speed of play has increased exponentially.”

Congratulations to the mighty strong basketball team, for not only did they defeat Evergreen, but they won the Pinewood Classic Tournament, winning the championship game 50-33. This leaves their current record at 5-0-0. The whole school is waiting to see how the Varsity Basketball team will do the rest of the season! After Christmas break, check out the following games: Valley Christian at Presentation on Wednesday January 6, 2010 at 7:30 pm AND Archbishop Mitty at Presentation on Wednesday January 13, 2010 at 7:30 pm.