On February 14, 2025, the JP Stevens girls basketball seniors stepped on the court once more. Surrounded by their teammates, coaches, and friends, the basketball team took on the opposing West Windsor Plainsboro South Pirates for the Hawks’ senior night. The five seniors—Mansi Mohanraj, Jeslyn Victor, Amber White, Ruchi Rao, and Captain Chloe Chan—played the game with their best effort until the very end.
Through a very close game, the Hawks brought the score to 11-13. In the third quarter, the Hawks came alive, scoring a staggering sixteen points compared to the Pirates’ eleven. Despite the outcome, the seniors left everything they had out on the court. For instance, Mansi Mohanraj led the seniors with ten points including two three-pointers and Chloe Chan also scored nine points and had five rebounds.
All of the seniors are not just teammates but also close friends. Most of them have played together since their freshman year and some even earlier. In fact, Chloe and Mansi have played together at John Adams Middle School and Ruchi and Amber played for Woodrow Wilson Middle School together. These five have endured hardships such as having a new head coach and eventually all of their effort paid off after winning the White Division Championship last year. Although this year has not gone to plan, these five seniors have helped lead this team to an end-of-year renewal including a six game winning streak.
These five will all miss being a member of the Hawks, as they find it be not just a team but a close-knit family.
Amber said, “I will miss most the family it offered me. I met some of my best friends on the team and it offered me a home away from home.”
Mansi said, “Playing high school basketball has gifted me with some of my closest and most special friendships. What I will miss the most about this sport is sharing a court and spending time with those same friends.”
Ruchi added, “I will miss being a teammate and being surrounded by friends everyday.”
Jeslyn remarked, “Being a member of a family has made each and every practice and game fun!” Finally, Captain Chloe said, “I think I will miss being with the team the most, obviously everyone says their team is a family, but I think as each year progresses I can really see how our team becomes more tight knit.”
Head Coach Weber is proud of his five seniors who he has watched grow and flourish through these last four years. “The thing I will miss most about this particular group is how each one brings something different to the table,” he said. “Each senior is different in their own way and they all are such wonderful kids. It truly is an honor being able to have coached them these past four years.”
Even though their final home game was not a victory, the legacy of these five seniors will live on forever. Their dedication, sportsmanship, and perseverance have paved the path for the coming years of Hawks girls basketball players. As they move on to their next chapters and to different paths, they leave behind a team that is now stronger because of their hard work.
