With a new year in mind, the JP Stevens girls basketball team was looking to embrace the new season and achieve monumental athletic success. The Lady Hawks started off their season with a win against Iselin Kennedy in December. Throughout the tryout process, head coach Mr. Timothy Weber selected a group of hardworking and talented student-athletes to bring triumph on the court and support off the court. Coach Weber stresses the program’s value of family to show that “no matter what happens, everyone has each other’s backs.”

As one of the captains this year and a four-year varsity player, guard senior Rhea Gupta has shown her dedication to the program. So far, she has accumulated 161 total points, 33 rebounds, and 14 assists. Another prominent figure on the court is Varsity Captain junior Katherine Bogutskyy has totaled 280 points, 122 rebounds, and 64 assists this season, with a game-high of 19 points against Perth Amboy, leading to a win. Forward junior, Cassidy Gesualdo, and forward sophomore, Chloe Chan, both contributed to the record, with Cassidy Gesualdo having 97 rebounds and 19 assists and Chloe Chan adding 123 rebounds and 43 assists. 

Despite these personal achievements, the team credits their strong bond and positive environment for their accomplishments. They attribute their successes to their superior team dynamic, which is created from team eats and holiday-themed practices. They have team eats before every big game and during the holiday practices, everyone comes to practice in pajamas and exchanges gifts with one another. They also play holiday music and have fun competitions with prize giveaways.

This team dynamic shone through during their most action-packed game against Woodbridge High School. The Lady Hawks had three players score in double figures and put up a season-high 67 points, the most points scored in a single game since 2016. Cassidy Gesualdo scored the most with twenty points, while Chloe Chan had nine rebounds and junior Trisha Nair had five steals, ending the game with a score of 67-54.

This year’s basketball season was definitely one to remember. After the injuries of several key players of the team, the Lady Hawks had to step up and adjust to different starting lineups. Coach Weber believes that the team was truly special where every girl on the roster plays an essential role in the program. Despite the obstacles they have faced, the girls varsity basketball team is looking forward to improving their record and setting great examples for the next few years.