Caption: Varsity girls, Julia Fernandes and Ysabel Flurry work together to find an opportunity to regain control of the ball. [by Dr. Cristina Meier]
By Isabelly Carvalho
On Friday, September 20, the gym at St. Paul’s School was the location for a highly anticipated match between the varsity basketball teams of St. Paul’s and PACA. Both girls’ and boys’ teams hit the court, eager to compete. PACA’s team brought a lot of school spirit and energy with them, but St. Paul’s proved to be the dominant force on this occasion.
The girls’ game began with both teams struggling to find their rhythm. There were lots of fouls, and baskets were hard to come by, creating a frustrating start for both sides. As the first quarter stretched on, the score remained unmoving at 7-4, with neither team able to make significant progress.
Caption: The girls work as a team, showing perseverance at the second half of the game. [by Dr. Cristina Meier]
Izabela Silva from 9th grade, who recently received news that she could not play due to her knee injury, noted the frustration, saying, “We just couldn’t seem to get the ball to fall, but defensively, we were holding them, which kept us in the game.”
By the end of the second quarter, St. Paul’s was able to go further their lead slightly, bringing the score to 11-7. PACA’s defense was solid, but they struggled offensively.
Silva observed that the team was having difficulty in maintaining their composure throughout their performance.
“We knew we needed to calm down and focus on finishing,”said Silva, “but it was tough out there with all the fouls.”
Caption: The cheerleaders present the “A-C-T-I-O-N” cheer to the fans during a time out. [by Dr. Cristina Meier]Caption 4;Rafael Portela is focused and insisting on defending Paca from rival points during the Varsity Boys game. [by Dr. Cristina Meier]
The second half was a continuation of the first-half frustrations. The third quarter ended with St. Paul’s pulling further ahead, leading 19-9. PACA made a few key plays in the final quarter, with moments of hope when they managed to score, but St. Paul’s took control and widened the gap. In the end, St. Paul’s accomplished the victory with a final score of 36-16.
Silva also says that she remained optimistic despite the loss.
“It was a tough game,” said Silva, “but we are learning and improving every time we hit the court. The team showed perseverance.”
The boys’ game opened with intensity, but St. Paul’s quickly established dominance. In the first quarter, they led the game until PACA’s Rafael Portella turned the tide. With two minutes left in the quarter, Portella sank two free throws, putting PACA ahead for the first time at 7-6.
“It felt good to take the lead, even if only for a moment,” Portella later said, “We were really pushing hard.”
The second quarter saw the Warriors struggle to keep up with St. Paul’s fast-paced offense. By halftime, St. Paul’s had a strong match ahead to a commanding 26-9 lead. PACA’s boys fought fearlessly, but their efforts were not enough to close the gap.
Caption: The boys working together, reaching the basketball hoop to make the basket. [by Dr. Cristina Meier]
The third quarter continued in the same manner, with St. Paul’s maintaining their dominant form. By the end of the quarter, the score stood at 38-15 in favor of St. Paul’s. Despite the deficit, the Warriors kept pushing until the final buzzer, but St. Paul’s offense remained relentless. The game ended with a decisive 58-26 victory for St. Paul’s.
“St. Paul’s played a great game,” said Portela, “no doubt about it. We’re going to analyze this, learn from our mistakes, and come back stronger.”
Discussing about the game, Melissa Sousa, one of the cheerleaders, said, “It was very compelling, both the boys and the girls competed really hard; unfortunately, they didn’t win this time, but I think they will do very well this season.”
Despite the difficult day for PACA, both the girls’ and boys’ teams displayed grit and determination. I believe that, as the season progresses, these matchups will serve as valuable learning experiences, and both teams are eager for the opportunity to redeem themselves in future games.
