The Hollis Brookline Girls Varsity Basketball team has a well-deserved 14-1 record, and they are finishing the rest of the season preparing for the playoffs in hopes of becoming Division II Champions.

Last year, the girls lost in the championship game by 8 points. The big loss motivated the girls even more this year. “Ever since losing in the championship last season, we have a strong determination to make it back to where we left off,” said Elizabeth Bonnette ‘20.

The girls have prepared themselves mentally and physically for each and every game. “This season we are more focused on our dribble drive offense and driving strong and hard to the hoop. We have a lot of weapons this year and are really focusing on utilizing everyone to the best of their abilities,” said captain Joanna Balsamo ‘18. The team dedicates six days a week to practicing skills and conditioning for their games, which are twice a week.

The team lost five seniors from last year, but that hasn’t stopped their determination. “This year, our team is very balanced in terms of ability,” said captain Brodie Kelley ‘19. “We lost a couple of key players from last year, and everyone has stepped up to fill in,” Kelley added. The team only has one senior, four juniors, and the rest are underclassmen. The team is fairly young, but that doesn’t stop them from getting along, according to Balsamo.

The only game they lost this season was against Portsmouth, the number one team in Division II with a 15-0 record. The game was a tough loss, but the team only learned from that. “I think the loss helped us as a team because they’re a really good team we’re going to see again in playoffs, and we want to be prepared for how we can beat them next time. The game helped show us what we need to improve on, so that we can be prepared for the championship,” said Kelly Willett ‘19.

As the season comes to an end, the girls plan to secure a 2nd place spot for the playoffs that begin Feb. 27. “Our goal for the rest of the season is to build as a team, reach our potential, and compete for the championship.” said Bonnette. Working hard and keeping their head up high is another thing the girls are looking to do. “If we keep on the path that we are on right now, we should go far into the playoffs. We’re playing really well as a team right now and that’s really important. I’m super excited for the rest of the season!” said Kelley.

The girls’ finish off their season with a home game on Friday, Feb. 23 against Bishop Brady at 6:30.