One Last Shot For Seniors
Jan 26, 2023
During a basketball game against Highland Park, Niles West celebrated the eight seniors on the girls varsity basketball team on Jan. 24. The Wolves fought a tough battle but fell to the Giants by two points, with a final score of 40-42. Sophomore Katelyn Daly led the team by scoring nine points, followed by seniors Mia Cejovic and Aashi Shah who each scored eight points.
Every senior night is a time for athletes to soak in their last year on the team, and a special time for the seniors to reminisce and make good memories. Coach Kyle Braheny is happy to have shared this time with his team and be able to have provided the seniors with such a remarkable night.
“This senior night was such a great game to be a part of. The combination of the back-and-forth lead changes, coming down to the last possession and the electric atmosphere made this a memorable experience. My favorite moment of the night was how excited our players and fans were throughout the game. The energy level in the gym was the most I have ever seen and it was really fun to be a part of it. Our seniors played their hearts out and I couldn’t be more proud of them,” Braheny said.
The seniors made incredible bonds on the team. Senior Adriana Calalang grew up playing with most of these girls and will miss playing with them.
“I knew some of the girls on the team even before we started high school. I met most of them through Niles West feeder basketball in fifth grade, and we’re still friends to this day. I developed lifelong friends because of Niles West Basketball and made amazing memories,” Calalang said. Seeing her friends and family supporting her in the stands made her night special and fun.
The whole is proud of this year’s seniors. Junior Jeslyn Varghese enjoyed witnessing their growth over the years. “I hope the seniors leave the team satisfied with how they played and how their season went. They put in a lot of hard work and dedication over the years and should leave feeling accomplished of the season they had,” Varghese said.
Senior Trisha Cirineo had a unique experience on the Niles West Basketball team, she spent all four years on varsity, two of them alongside her older sister Angelica Cirineo, from the class of 2021.
“Not everyone gets an opportunity to play with their sibling on the same team. Getting to play with Angelica was one of the best parts of being a part of the Niles West basketball program. Having her as my teammate and a person I looked up to helped me become the player and person I am today,” T. Cirineo said. She will miss the supportive environment and fun community that the Niles West basketball team gave her.
Best of luck to all our seniors with the rest of the year and their future endeavors!