Girls varsity basketball battled during the KITs with a 2-1 record and a third-place finish.
The team was very excited for the tournament, as it is something they look forward to every year. “Every year, the KITs are a great time of year that everyone looks forward to,” junior guard Co-captain Olivia Pilecki said, “whether you are on the team or not. Nothing can beat that feeling of finishing up all of your exams and being able to focus on playing basketball, especially in front of a home crowd.”
The team started off the tournament on Friday, Dec. 20, taking on Capital Prep Harbor School. Pilecki shared how the team prepared for the games. “We do a little bit of a scouting report and talk as a team on the court so we know what to expect for the game,” Pilecki said. “Myself and the captains gathered the team in the hospitality room and took a second to debrief and get any pre-game nerves out.” The Wyverns played a great game, winning 83-23 with big plays from Pilecki and junior guard Co-captain Samaria Gonzalez.
The second day’s game was against a tough Kimball Union Academy team. The squad fought hard but ultimately ended up losing 60-52. Although a tough loss, Pilecki was happy with how she and the team played. “I’m so proud of the run my team was able to make in the third quarter to cut the game close, even though we couldn’t finish it off,” Pilecki said.
Finally came Sunday, where the Wyverns were playing for third place against Pomfret School. The team was focused heading into the game and knew what they had to do. “They knew to play our style of basketball,” Head Coach Quinn O’Brien said. “They knew to share the ball and represent KO in a positive way.” The girls ended up dominating this game, winning 63-30 and earning their bronze medal finish.
Despite not winning the tournament, the team was very happy with how they played. “I’m very proud of how the girls fought hard and put in maximum effort on every play,” Coach O’Brien said. “I’m sure they will keep this up the whole season, and it will be a great year.”
Pilecki agreed with Coach O’Brien. “I am very proud of all the adversity we hit and how our team was able to handle it early on in the season,” she said.
This is just the start to the Wyverns season, as they have many more games to play. Everyone should show out and support the team whenever they get the chance to!
