Freshman Maya White, who is six feet tall, dribbles the ball while surveying her opponents. She then dodges the defender to pass to her teammate, a successful maneuver. 

Mercy’s Varsity basketball team was successful last season, making it to the first round of regionals. This season, they hope to make it even further, and the three freshmen on the team believe they have something to contribute. 

“It’s nerve wracking,” said Maya White about being a freshman on the varsity team. “When you’re a freshman, everything’s new and you just have to adapt.”

White participated in Mercy’s basketball conditioning camp over the summer, which she says has helped her work on her skills. She says the camp prepared her for tryouts later on and her improvement is obvious, especially as she scored the first basket of the first game of the season. 

White played basketball at Meads Mill throughout middle school before joining Mercy’s team, but she enjoys high school basketball much more. She and the other two freshmen players get along well with the upperclassmen on the team, and she says the team dynamic is strong as they work together well. 

“[The upperclassmen] are really welcoming,” White said. “They make everything fun [including] practice and games.”

“I think that [the freshmen] are fitting in very well with the older players,” varsity basketball coach Mr. Gary Morris said. “I also think that our juniors have been very accepting of them.”

The season officially started in November. The time won their first game against Kettering on December 5 and most recently defeated Canton on December 13 with a score of 58-15. 

The basketball team has high hopes for the season ahead, and White said she’s hoping for an undefeated season.

“I always say to enjoy the journey, and we’ll see what happens along the way,” Coach Morris said. “I really believe strongly in this team and think that we can do really well.”