The Selma Selma High Girls Basketball team played their most recent game on January 29th against Strathmore High. The Lady Bears won with a total score of 42-39.

Their 2021-2022 season began in early November and will end around late February. The team has pushed for a promising wrap of this season. The Lady Bears have played 24 games so far, 15 of which they’ve won. The team has played against most valley teams like Dinuba, Hanford West, Immanuel and more. 

As their season comes to an end, the Lady Bears look to push themselves to achieve their team goals these last few weeks.

“A goal we would like to accomplish is to be first in our league,” stated Senior Naomi Vaca. “As of right now, we are third [in our league.]” Vaca has been playing basketball for five years, starting during her eighth grade year. She believes that the team’s focus and ability to push for the best outcome will allow them to be successful in their goals this season. 

The team’s main focus has been working on solidifying their strengths and working to improve their weaknesses. 

“Our strengths would be that we all have a mentality to get better,” Vaca explained. With having a team so diverse in height and age, it is important for the Lady Bears to push themselves, and to stay motivated to succeed. 

Becoming a better team means coming together on the court, so the Lady Bears make it a point to work hard during practice in order for their stamina and good habits to transfer into games. 

“We’ve used practice to work on our mental health which is always a big part in the games,” freshman Daviana Chavez mentioned. “In games we try to incorporate what we work on at practice which helps us win games.” Chavez has been playing basketball since the third grade and highlights that the team must succeed as a whole at practice if they wish to communicate properly during games. 

Aside from working on morale off and on the court, Covid-19 and the pandemic has also been a setback for the team. With having to cancel some games and miss several weeks of practice, the team has learned to  be careful and safe during the season. They are required to get tested once every week, usually on Tuesdays. The Lady Bears also wear masks whenever they are benched or not on the court, but they are allowed to take them off whenever engaged in a game. 

“Last week we had out our full team at practice for one of the first times in Covid,” explained Chavez. As the team struggles to stay safe, they lose precious time on the court where they could be building team trust and connections. 

“We always come back and focus on what’s ahead,” Vaca exclaimed when asked about playing amidst the Covid-19 precautions. Even as the team faces these setbacks, they come back ready to play as one and take on competitors. 

As the Lady Bears Basketball season is coming to an end, the team works on finishing on top in the Central Sequoia League.