The 2024 basketball season finished, but it is the beginning for the new freshmen on the varsity team. This year’s varsity team of 11 included four freshmen, Addison Elliot, Jaylen Ndaka, Chozen Lewis, and Kinsley Beckham. 

All of the players had previous experiences with club and middle school teams, and most play year round. Varsity coach Mark Jackson had scouted the freshman players while they were playing for AAU teams. 

Ndaka included that she has been playing basketball since she was two years old and plays club basketball year round. She also plays other sports for the school and is a very active athlete.

Lewis also plays club all year and has been playing since the age of five. She played on her middle school team before attending Holy Cross.

“I encourage players to play on competitive teams to gain more experience and to help themselves learn with repetition,” Jackson reported. 

Many of the freshman players had decided to join the team because they had also had family members involved with the sport. Having their family involved helped start them out from a young age and gave them an incentive to be involved themselves.

“My dad and brother played basketball and that’s how I started getting into the sport,” Lewis explained.

Ndaka described the team experience as being very welcoming and accepting towards new players. The small team roster gives more room for a closer bond and makes it easier for players to get to know each other better. 

Coach Jackson described the freshman as major contributors of the team who were put into positions that were difficult; however, they pulled through and played with an edge. Since there was not a JV team this year, all of the players jumped right into the competitive practices and games.

“Practices should be harder than games so that games are nothing to worry about,” Jackson added.