The WA Girls’ Basketball (WAGB) team had an unforgettable season, finishing undefeated in the DCL and making it to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since the 2021-2022 season.
With a 10-0 record in the DCL and a 14-4 finish in the regular season, the team showed their devotion to skills and teamwork. They not only won the DCL title after defeating Waltham on Thursday, Feb 13, but also advanced to Springfield to compete in the second round of playoffs, marking a huge achievement for the program.
This did not come easily to them. Between the team, the captains, and the coaching staff, everyone put in all of their effort to go as far as they could. They put in the work knowing it was going to pay off.
“No team consistently puts forth 100% effort every day. But this team came pretty close, and their ability to work hard and improve was impressive,” head coach Russell Coward said. “Also, [the players] are quite mentally tough […], the coaches are intense and demanding, and the players can take tough criticism and keep pushing themselves, which is an exceptional quality.”
Not only did the players consistently give their all, the coaches also did their part in getting ready for the season. This was a challenge for them because they did lose an assistant coach who had been with the team for the last several years, but also gained some very beneficial people to the team.
“Losing Coach Kalukiewicz was very difficult, as he was always a calming, positive presence in addition to being very knowledgeable. But we added four coaches, all of whom either played in college or coached varsity basketball previously, and that benefitted all of us,” Coward said. “Our collaboration helped with scouting and game preparation, and the new coaches get a ton of credit for our success.”
WA 2017 graduate Cammy Desrochers took on the role this season of being the new WAGB assistant coach. Desrochers played varsity basketball at WA and then went on to play at Framingham College. With all her knowledge and background for the game, she was able to bring a new perspective to the team that really impacted their success this season.
“Becoming a full time assistant varsity coach was such a great experience. I have known all of these girls since they were in elementary school so having the opportunity to work closely with them as high schoolers was super special,” Desrochers said. “I played college basketball after I graduated from Westford Academy so I felt I was able to bring in some fresh new plays that hadn’t been seen before and also run some drills in practice that I felt could be beneficial to the team.”
A successful season like this does not come without significant changes in a team’s physical and mental game. Senior captain Diya Jayaraman recognized how the team’s increase in confidence truly impacted the outcome of their season.
“We knew the state tournament was going to be tough, but having played teams like Wachusett and Natick, and keeping it pretty close most of the game, prepared us. We played every game with a sense of arrogance, knowing that we were a tough opponent to anyone this year,” Jayaraman said. “I think that sense of confidence boosted the energy and intensity that we played with this year, which brought our game to a whole new level.”
WA had many moments and games this year that continued to fuel their drive to keep going and keep winning. Losing to Chelmsford earlier in the season and then getting a second chance to defeat them in the first round of the playoffs was just one example of what motivated them this season.
“Our first game, which was also our first win, instilled a sense of hope in all of us. That win against Malden Catholic had contributions from the entire team and got us all pumped for a brand new season,” Jayaraman said. “We had sort of this reputation of being a weaker team and just succumbing to pressure from other teams but this win gave us that ‘okay, we can actually do this’ feeling. Then, after beating Billerica on their home court, the shift in the team’s mentality was obvious and persisted throughout the entire season.”
Part of what makes a team so strong on the court is what they do off the court. There is a big difference between teams with talented athletes that have team chemistry and those that do not.
“Chemistry this year was such a big thing for all of us. I would say the many spags we had after practices really helped us bond off the court,” Jayaraman said. “Having these team dinners allowed us the chance to connect before our game the next day and get us excited.
The senior captains, Jayaraman, Erin Keefe, and Faith Williams will be missed next year as they truly made a major impact throughout their four years with WAGB.
“The captains set a great example for the team […] they were excellent competitors who knew exactly what to do during games, and they were physical, tough players,” Coward said. “They also embodied the main focus of the team, which was everyone working together to make each other better. This team was remarkably unselfish, which made us very successful on the court as we generally played 10-11 people every game, and that attitude started with the captains.”
This remarkable season might cause some added pressure to next season, but the coaches and rising seniors know what they need to do to continue improving as the years go on.
“Although we are graduating three amazing seniors who led our team on and off the court, I know that the group we have left is going to continue to get better and better. I know that these girls are all going to work hard in the offseason and come back next year ready to go even further than we did this year,” Desrochers said. “I am super excited to see this program continue to be successful years down the road, and I believe that if we all push ourselves we can be one of the top teams in the state.
