3 game winning streak

The girls basketball varsity team had three games this past week. One against Laguardia, one against George Washington and last against AP Randolph. All these game had one thing in common, we were down and by the last few minutes of the game, we start hitting out shots, better passes and win the game by just enough. The game against Lagaurdia was the most intense, starting off the first few minutes strong and starting to lose that touch. This game was intense and by the 4th quarter we were down but time was on our side. The crowd, the bench made a lot of noise and that is where we get our confidence. With Mikaela fouled out we played a lot harder and winning the game by 3. Just like last year with Terri's buzzer beater that we will never forget. The George Washington game was intense with the same, starting off strong and losing it but still won and the same goes to AP Randolph. Although we knew the last two games we could have won by a lot more but we know that if we play the way we play at the 4th quarter since the beginning we will be up by a lot. After these three games we wont have another game til regents week. But it is not time to relax, playoffs are around the corner and we need to get that spot. We will be working as a team and on our free time working on our skills. We know that we can do this as long as we are a team!!!!

Kathy Chiam
(Senior)
Writer for Sports

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Baruch Girls Varsity v. Norman

Mikaela going for the jump ball.

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Girl's Basketball

The girls basketball team jsut had their first scrimmage on 11/20/12 against a school from Queens. We started off with really little intensity on the court. Tha first half of the game did not show how the team usually played. The passes were sloppy, fouling in the first few minutes, walking back on offense and there were really little taking on the court. The score was something we didnt expect, it was a close score between the two teams with Baruch leading with only a couple of points. After that first half, we got our head into the game and second half we had the intensity, running down the courts, and talking on court. We started to knock down many shots and got a lead of 10 points by the end of the 3rd quarter. We ended the game winning by 20 with a 36-16 but the team and the coaches new we could have done so much better. With this scrimmage, we have a lot to work on and we all know the way we played in the second half, that is how we have to start our first game of the season on monday. Come support the girls on thier frist gaem right after thanksgiving break. It's a home game at 4:30 in Baruch College. Other games are already posted on PSAL so go take a look or ask one of the girls on the team. Go blue Devils!!

 

-Kathy C.

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Soccer and Basketball

Girls soccer season has ended. Starting off with only 11 girls to having at least 20 on the team, the team has really developed. We may not have won championship or played our first play off game but we are all winners. We come to practice ready to work even if not everyone shows up. We push each other, we critiqued each other but at the end we are all a team helping each other develop. The last week was tough, games were cancelled, not having a couch for a week but we managed. It's  our last year on this soccer team, Kaylin, Patty and I. We may not have lead them to the championships but we lead a good team. We did our best and now it's time to hand this leadership role to the young ones. Good luck to you girls next season. GO BLUE DEVILS

Basketball

The girls basketball team has their team already with 7 returnees and 3 new freshmen. We may not have had the best turn out like the boys try outs but we still have a team with talent. We may be a small team in height and size but the girls are working on their speed and handling skills. We've played many teams with really tall girls but so what if they are. We have the speed, where we take that as an advantage, during fast breaks or transitions. Our tryout was quick simple with the amount of time we had after the boys, an hr. We introduced ourselves and did some full court lay ups, passing and some ball handling. We did a lot of condition with running and down the courts after missed free throws. We ended with some 5 on 5 and although we were still getting use to our teammates and how they played, we did quite well on our first 5 on 5.  Having Jessenia and now Ally as out coaches we know we will be in shape and ready to play.

We take each practice seriously with some jokes here and there. We take in each drill that we learn and the critiques we get from our coaches.
Like what Joseph said in his post it's the small things that matter, no matter how simple it maybe.

Kathy Chiam
(Senior)
Writer for Sports 

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The importance of a drill

Basketball tryouts had taken place last week, starting form Monday and ending on Friday. The
Head Coach, Howard Soskind had said that he doesn’t even know who will be cut, but that shouldn’t
stop us from playing basketball. Michael Jordan was cut from his High School basketball team, but that
didn’t stop him from being one of the greatest basketball players ever.

Tryouts had started out with simple drills, and a scrimmage. It may have seemed easy enough,
but what we didn’t think about was what a drill was trying to teach us. A passing drill may be fairly easy,
but if you don’t understand certain points about a passing drill, you fail to throw/catch a pass in a real
game. When we pass the ball, you shouldn’t be standing in one place and passing the ball, but moving
with the ball. The player who is catching the ball doesn’t just stand in one place, but rather moves
towards the ball to make it both an easier and safe pass. You don’t want the opposing team going right
through the passing lane, getting a steal, and scoring an easy lay-up.

We take too many things for granted in basketball, instead, what matters are the small,
important fundamentals of the game.

Joseph P. (12)

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Basketball Try-outs/practice - Boys & Girls

BOYS

The boys first started out with some light stretching individually and then a light jog around the perimeter of the gymnasium for ten laps. 

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After then, they move on to some arm stretches and more leg stretches - with 16 seconds each. James Davis of the senior class lead these stretches and he took turns with the rest of the group to count sixteen seconds per each stretch. 

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After the warm up, the boys went on to practice some lay-ups. Starting with some right hand lay-ups then moved on to left hand lay-ups. These were lead by the seniors including, Peter Lok, Jeremy Nadel and others with some help from juniors like Brian Chu and William Yu. It might seem easy, but it can become very complicated with the boys circulating and several balls bouncing at the same time. 

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Next, they practiced some jump shots. 

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Following the jump shot are handles, which is basically dribbling with one hand after the next hand. 

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Defense drills came next including defense stances- sliding along the perimeter of the line. 

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Horseshoe shots were next. They slowly distant themselves away from the hoop as they took turns taking shots.

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Subsequently are practice games! It can be pretty intense, boys against boys divided into teams of shirts and skins. 

[Images/Videos]

By Kristy M. (12)

Images and videos will be uploaded ASAP - Please be patient!

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Practice vs. Game

That first game you play in, you don’t know what to expect. You’re teammates think they know
what’s going to happen, but they’re wrong. The first game, you think you’re prepared, but you never
are. Practice and a real game are different. You may be making every shot in practice, you may be doing
all the drills correctly, but in a game situation, doing a drill correctly won’t help you win a game. Players
and athletes can tell the difference as soon as they step onto the court.

I remember my first game; I had only attended a couple of practices. My teammates felt pretty
confident in winning. They kept saying, “How much should we win by? 20? 30?” And I kept quiet. I had
no intention of becoming part of this nonsense. It’s the first game, how do you know what’s going to
happen?

As the first game came and went, we lost by 28. All I could think of was, Who knew? My
teammates felt out-of-place when they changed out of their uniforms in the locker room. I had a pretty
decent game, but it had not felt like anything we did in practice, except maybe the running. The drills we
had practiced came into play here and there, but ultimately, it’s about chemistry, about your own game
when you play. So before you think you can win a game because you had good practices, think twice.
Don’t let talk get in the way of what you know that you can actually achieve.

Joseph P. (12)

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Your Team

Image by Michelle Yan (2011)

               Every time I step onto the court, I feel like we have a chance to get the win. But after the 1^st half, and we’re down by let’s say, 10, we all start to shoot angry words at each other. Words such as: “You have to keep moving” or “They suck, we’re just not getting stops.” And I have to admit. They don’t suck. If they do suck, what does that make you? Trash? I don’t see why people try to say that the other team can’t play. If they couldn't  why are they on the team? So before you open up your mouth and say something you know isn't true, then don’t talk at all. It’s not the other team, it’s you. The same thing can be said if you’re up by 10. The other team doesn't suck, you’re just playing better.

                Teammates know that in order for your team to win, you have to stay with each other and not shoot someone down. If the other team scored on a turnover, don’t put your head down and let your other teammate make you feel like poop. Talk back, “Why didn't you defend him on the fast-break ” It’s all about your team, and how you play with your team.

Joseph P. (12)

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Girls’ Basketball Bottle Competition

Have you noticed large bags filled with plastic bottles and aluminum cans in your classrooms?

They don’t look very fitting for the classroom; however, it is for a very good cause. This year, the girls’ basketball team has lost its funding to rent the gym in Baruch College. The Baruch’s girls’ basketball team is very strong. My jaw dropped when I looked at the team’s record for the past few years. They ended each of their seasons on a very strong note. With this much potential, how could you possibly let it all go to waste? I really don’t understand how it is possible for their funding to be cut. Seriously, it’s ridiculous. I think that this bottle and can collecting competition was pretty clever. It’s a unique method to fundraise to get their funding back for the gym, and it’s also a great way to get the whole school involved, both recycling and making money. Who says that you have to be on a sports team to be a part of the school? Support your school’s girls’ basketball team and every time you finish a bottle, put it in your advisor’s big plastic bag. The girls’ basketball team will go around collecting your advisory’s bag of bottles every Monday. Remember, this is a competition. Bring on the competitiveness and show us what you are made of! Winners get a prize from the prize box! Good luck y’all!

Yei Ling Ma

(Sophomore)

Writer for Sports 

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