THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT FOR THE GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM

Going into the season, first-year girls basketball head coach Taylor Parker knew that, although the team might not be bound for the state championship, the players had a strong foundation and desire to be better.

Despite ending the season at 4-16, the Gryphons didn’t go down without a fight. In an early-season game against Roeper—a team that would go on to finish the season at 19-3—Greenhills kept things close until the fourth quarter, losing by just 14 points.

“The team was fully engaged and ready to play,” Parker said, reflecting on the game. “The bench was loud and the players on the court were doing a good job of sharing the ball, making calculated shots, and playing all-around strong defense. Coming close to beating a team like Roeper shows just how much potential our team has.”

Roeper wasn’t the only team to win by a narrow margin, as Greenhills continued to be fierce competitors throughout the season. In the last game before districts, the Gryphons implemented a 1-3-1 zone defense, which took Lutheran Westland by surprise and kept the game within reach as the players forced turnovers and converted those turnovers into points. Greenhills once again lost by a small margin—six points.

Consecutive losses can be damaging to a team’s morale, but the Gryphons remained resilient. Off the court, the players made conscious efforts to nurture their relationships with each other through team dinners and activities—a point of pride for Parker.

“I’m proud of how much our team enjoys being around one another. You don’t always have players who love to do extra team-bonding activities outside of practices and games, so it was nice to see the girls trying to build more connection.”

While skill and gameplay development were at the forefront of every practice, Parker and assistant coaches Caitlyn O’Neal and Katie Sims ’11 also devoted time to maintaining team spirit. That included recognizing a player after every game who demonstrated selflessness and put their best foot forward, regardless of the outcome.

“As coaches, it’s important for us to stay optimistic and encourage our team to keep working hard, even in tough moments,” said Parker.

Parker looks forward to building on the team’s camaraderie and keeping the momentum going next season. The team prepares to welcome promising young players and continues to develop its offensive and defensive strategies. “It’s exciting to know that even though we have a young team, the future is bright for the girls basketball program.”