Girls’ basketball: Lunches, YouTube motivate Falcons

The girls’ varsity basketball team just may succeed in CCS this year—that is, with the help of some YouTube videos and bagged lunches.

To promote the team effort before games, coach Mike Davey has had the team meet at lunch on game days to go over plays and the scouting reports. At every meeting, one team member shares a motivational video or quote with the group to encourage and motivate everyone as a whole and to bond with the common goal of winning the game.

“The inspirational speeches and clips that we watch on YouTube really get us revved up for the game,” said senior forward/guard Melissa Lin.

These meetings help the players get in the right mindset before games. It also helps when they watch videos of their previous games.

“[We watch our videos] to find our weaknesses and improve on them the next game,” said Lin. “And whatever goals we set for the game, we see if we met them or not.”

Davey has seen the team step up.

“I think we’re improving as a team,” said Davey. “We’ve temporarily lost two of our best players [due to injuries] but we are defensively much improved. The girls believe, assist and encourage each other.”

Before winter break, senior Sheeva Hamidieh tore her ACL during a practice. Despite her wishes, she will not be able to play for the rest of the season. Senior Alex Sclavos had knee injuries at the beginning of the season that put her out for a few weeks, but she is now back playing.

At the Lynbrook game on Feb. 6, the girls stole the home court by winning 56-47. From the beginning, the team established a good lead over the opponents ending the first quarter ahead with 12-5, but the score came close in the second quarter. From then on, however, the Falcons had the lead. Toward the end of the second quarter, Sclavos’ knee gave and she fell to the floor in pain, but she soon reclaimed her position and went back into the game.

On Feb. 4, Saratoga visited the Palo Alto Vikings on their home court, where the Falcons lost in a close game, 48-47.

The Lady Falcons thumped rival Los Gatos on Jan. 28, 65-48. Sclavos led the team with twelve points and six rebounds. Senior Ashley Cole had ten points and five steals while Nielson also added in ten points.

The girls are already qualified for CCS and should make it as long as they are seated among the top 16 teams. They still have four more games left, however, two of which are against highly ranked Gunn High School and Wilcox High School.

“It would make a difference if we beat one of those games or lost by a point because then the CCS would say we’re playing very well right before going into CCS,” said Davey. “I think we’re going to get in no matter what, but that will affect how we’re seated.