The Junior Varsity (JV) girls basketball team won against Sequoia with a close score of 41-40 on Wednesday, Jan. 15. This win brings the team’s current record to 9-4.
The game was incredibly close, with Sequoia in the lead for every quarter, except the fourth. In the final second of the fourth quarter, Sequoia hit a buzzer-beater, sending the game into overtime. However, Woodside hustled to regain their lead and secured the win.
“They did great, to come back after falling behind eight to nothing in the first couple minutes, they didn’t lose their cool and stayed focused,” said JV coach Nick Fiorentinos. “We ended up going to overtime and they didn’t let it get to them, they stuck to the plan, and ultimately got the victory.”
Freshman Gabi Giusti spoke on the energy and excitement of the game, noting the intensity and emotional rollercoaster that kept everyone on edge.
“I felt like my energy levels were like, boom up there,” Gabi Giusti said. “The bench had a lot of energy that really helped us push through.”
Sophomore Jaylah Goins expanded on the team’s overall performance, noting how they stayed focused despite the game’s ups and downs.
“It was pretty challenging at first, we were head-on-head with them the whole time,” Goins said. “We got into overtime, and it boosted up our energy, made us more into the game and we ended up winning.”
JV assistant coach John Giusti talks about what he does to help player’s mindsets during tough games such as this one.
“I just try to listen to what they have going on in their minds, what they’re worried about, what they’re struggling with, to start talking through it,” John Giusti said. “Then encourage them to keep trying, and work on the things that they need to accomplish.”
Fiorentinos added to the way the team adapts to different situations and challenges that arise during trivial matches.
“We have a next-play mentality, so if it was a mistake or a bad play or not a good call, we just go,” Fiorentinos said. “We tell the girls it’s the next play, we don’t look back, we only look forward.
Goins talked about how she has felt the team improve over the course of the season and the challenges they are yet to face.
“I think we’ve grown a lot from when we first started, our first couple [of] games were a little rough, but we ended up winning all of the first ones,” Goins said. “Now we are more challenged because now we’re in [the] league, and in league games, there’s a lot more pressure.”
Fiorentinos spoke on his expectations for the team and his personal coaching goals as he works to set the girls up for success in the future.
“My goal as JV coach is to prepare the girls for varsity, those that want to keep playing,” Fiorentinos said. “So the ultimate goal is not really winning games, it’s really putting the girls in positions that learn how to compete at a higher level.”
According to Fiorentinos, the positive attitude, determination and never-ending support from the team have brought them far.
“They’re compassionate, they’re caring [and] they’re supportive,” Fiorentinos said. “I’ve never seen so much support from a team.”
