Being a member of a sports team is, without a doubt, one of the most unforgettable experiences I’ve had in my whole life. Joining a group of people with similar interests and a joint aspiration to achieve a common goal is a magical thing. This seemingly unimportant basketball team has allowed me to be introduced to some of my closest friends, make beautiful memories, and form unparalleled connections.
I’ve had an amazing time with my teammates, people who were strangers to me just months prior. During pre-season practice, we got to know each other in a basketball context, learning our strengths and weaknesses, allowing us to make sure we help each other flourish on the court. Off the court, small things such as the train rides home have created countless memories that I’ll cherish and look back on years from now.
Creating a solid connection with your teammates is important because chemistry on the court could be the deciding factor in a close game. Talent is certainly important in its own right, but having a connection with the players around you is almost guaranteed to bring your team success. For example, the NY Knicks are a strong franchise largely due to the abilities of their star player Jalen Brunson, but what makes him an MVP candidate when there are many more technically skilled players? This recognition in the MVP race can be attributed to the fact that Brunson is surrounded by two of his Villanova college teammates, Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart. They know they can rely on each other on the court, and this is aided by the strong connection and friendship off the court. This trio have a podcast together, are always having fun with each other on social media, and have years of memories that continues to solidify their bond. Hart and Divincenzo alone aren’t the most skilled players. Hart did not succeed when he was on the Pelicans, Lakers, or Trail Blazers, and Divincenzo didn’t make a name for himself on the Warriors, Kings, or Bucks. As soon as they were traded to the Knicks, it was like a spark ignited and they became different players. Even Brunson, who had a decent playing history on his previous Mavericks team, stepped his game up tremendously. With these three at the helm of the Knicks, the energy they bring is electric. As of this writing, they are the second seed in the East, ahead of teams that are thought to have more talent than them, all because they know how to play with one another.
Furthermore, players tend to play harder and forgive their teammates more easily when playing with friends. For example, if I’m playing with a friend and they make a mistake, I immediately pick them up and tell them to focus on the next play and not think twice about it because I know what they’re capable of. My teammates have earned my trust and respect over the extended amount of time I’ve spent playing with them. However, if I’m playing with someone I barely know and they mess up, while I’ll still pick them up, I may start to question their ability, and it will open up a window of doubt in playing with them. Maybe I won’t pass to him next time, or be more conservative in my own play. Not having a solid foundation to that relationship breeds distrust.
In the 2023-24 season, the Bronx Science Boys’ Varsity Basketball team played with this sense of unity, possessing awareness of each other’s tendencies. Our bond resulted in a great balance of power and respect, allowing for a great connection with one another both on and off the court.
In the first game of the season, Bronx Science faced off against their SHS rivals, Stuyvesant, and came out victorious with a decisive 20-point win. After kicking off the season like this, the good vibes were palpable.
In the first league game, we played our rivals from right around the block, Dewitt Clinton. Despite our hard fought battle, we started off the season facing a tough loss. After realizing wins weren’t just going to fall in our lap, we knew we had to get to work. With this motivation the team started putting in double the effort during practice.
This team effort and shared sense of purpose contributed to our going on to win four consecutive league and non league games. Our streak was broken when we played against the team from Albert Tuitt, who if I’m being honest, totally outplayed us. Experiencing a loss like that right before Christmas break, left a sour taste in our mouths. As always, we kept our heads up. We knew that grieving a defeat would bring nothing but more misery. Knowing this, we all pushed one and another to put in extra work over this long break.
Following our return from the break, we were dealt yet another pair of devastating defeats at the hands of Evander Childs and Christopher Columbus. We knew we were the stronger team in both of these games, so these disappointments touched us close to home. We took these defeats personally, and made an additional effort to prove to everyone and recommit to ourselves how good we really were.
I asked Coach Massimi what he thought the best moment of the season was. “The whole team rallying behind Alpha Kieta [one of our captains] at that [away] Clinton game. Even though we lost, it was such a hard-fought game, and they are the best competition we faced this entire season,” Massimi said.
That was our best game of the season, even though we lost. Clinton is our toughest opponent every year, and we played them twice. The first time, at our gym, we could only keep it close through the first half, then the flood gates opened and they blew us out in the third quarter.
This time around, at their gym, we held it down the entire time, keeping it close through the whole game. There were plenty of lead changes, and it was back and forth until they went on a little run and ended up beating us by nine points.
This game defined us, as we knew we could hang with anyone after this game. We proved to ourselves that we had the skill and ability to challenge well respected, highly competitive teams.
We rallied and won the next five games, but weren’t ready for the Samuel Gompers team when they beat us going into the Borough playoffs. In the Boroughs, The John F. Kennedy team, who were the superior team and deserved to win the game, completely outplayed us and won the game.
In the PSAL AAA playoffs, Bronx Science played an unsatisfactory game. With home court advantage, we lost in a controversial manner to Fort Washington. Although we were the better team, a few mistakes, many bad calls from the refs, and the continuously varying tempo of the game, meant that we handed the win off to Fort Washington.
The 2023-2024 basketball season at The Bronx High School of Science has officially ended. The season was played from November 2023 to March 2024. Following the conclusion of the regular season, the team finished with a record of 8-6, and we were defeated by Fort Hamilton in the first round of the playoffs. Despite a bitter ending, with all its ups and downs, the boys enjoyed a memorable season. While the team will miss the graduating seniors, those remaining plan to learn from this experience and make significant improvements during the upcoming 2024-2025 season. Come to a game next year and see for yourself!
Being a member of a sports team is, without a doubt, one of the most unforgettable experiences I’ve had in my whole life. Joining a group of people with similar interests and a joint aspiration to achieve a common goal is a magical thing.