On Nov. 30, both the Cavaliers’ boys and girls basketball teams start their seasons against Douglas Freeman High School and Huguenot High School, respectively. Games are scheduled to start at 7:15 PM, for the girls’ team, and 6:00 PM, for the boys’ team. 

After slow seasons that only saw the teams bring in four combined wins in 2020-2021, the Cavaliers look to have stronger seasons with more wins this year.

Senior Guard Livvie Ebert is the captain of the girls’ varsity team as well as a player. She expresses promise in the work ethic of her and her teammates in preparation for her last season at The Hill. As a senior, she wants to make a positive impact on the underclassmen who will soon have to fill the same shoes as her in the future. 

“I just kind of want to be… a role model for them and show them how they should [perform] in the future because we also have a sophomore and a freshman, and I just want to make sure that they’re the best they can possibly be.”

Ebert feels like the makeup of this year’s team is the best they have seen since she has become a Cavalier. She believes that the ‘new’ team will go a long way in preserving the team chemistry over the season.

“The chemistry of the team is so much better than it has been in past years. So hopefully we can win some more games than usual,” Ebert said. “We’re all friends. If you are friends off the court, it translate[s] to on the court.”

Girls’ Basketball coach Sally Laksey, praises what her team has been able to succeed in with practices on the court, especially how their strengths will translate to in-game situations. 

“[We] have pretty good shooters, which is kinda cool, and I would say defensively, we’re pretty strong,” Laskey said.

Laskey also believes that the leadership of returning players will be very beneficial to new faces on the team and freshmen.

“[Seniors] showing [younger players] [how] to… build a successful program, which is what we’re hoping to start doing here,… [can help] them learn how to play basketball,” Laskey said.

Junior and Varsity Guard Adam Selby sees promise for the upcoming season, but also understands the challenges associated with a newer group of athletes.

“I think we have a good team, [but] also some bugs as well,” Selby said, “There’s a lot of people on our team [who] are very good at [things] like scoring…, [so] we all know our roles within the team.”

Selby believes that the new faces will add to the team and motivate him and his teammates to become better players.

“I mean, we just met each other,” Selby said, “[but] [we’ll] get along with each other, [so] everything with execution will get better [over time].”

Selby explains that he not only works on his game at practice, but he also works at home and with his teammates to perfect his play on the court. 

“I have a hoop in my driveway, [and] there’s also a court at my gym,” Selby said. “And then I also play with my friends, like often I [will] [play] at a gym or… at a school or… a neighborhood.”

With help from seniors on both teams, coaches look forward to their teams having much success this year. Both teams will begin their seasons on the road, before their first home games on Dec. 2 and Dec. 7. Home games will be played in the Clover Hill gymnasium, where family, friends, and students can attend.