The COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenge for so many across the world to bear. Sports fans likely won’t forget the moment on March 11, 2020 when the NBA shut down the regular season due to a virus that was spreading rapidly with no end in sight. A lot of sports leagues followed suit not too long after and, just like that, it was unclear when sports would resume. 

Just  like many high school basketball teams across the country, Xavier Preparatory had no idea if there would be a season this year. Because of the uncertainty of it all, a lot of the players’ parents were skeptical of their kids taking such a risk to play if a season was allowed.

 “My mom works in health care, and she especially wanted to make sure that we were all being safe and so initially she was skeptical,” said senior Sophia Alameddin. 

However, when the Arizona Interscholastic Association gave them the green light in January, many parents didn’t want their kids to miss out on such a memorable high school experience.

“Due to the circumstances this year, we realized how incredible it was to have the opportunity to play, and we all wanted to make the most of it,” said Alameddin.

However, because of the last-minute decision by the AIA, they had a difficult time jumping right into action and playing for a championship run amid unusual circumstances.

“Easily the toughest part of transitioning would be the uncertainty of it all,” said senior Victoria Sauceado. “It made it all the more difficult to prepare and adjust to all the different guidelines being thrown at us”.

The girls missed out on any official offseason training, making for a challenging transition into game action.       

“With it being constantly postponed and games being canceled, it was a lot harder to prepare this year,” said senior Rachel Orr.

Factoring in daily testing and social distancing, it made it more difficult for new teammates to get to know one another as they worked toward one common goal.

But the pandemic didn’t slow down the girls’ game. They recently finished an unforgettable season with a 13-4 record, falling to defending champion Valley Vista in the state championship game. 

Alameddin credits the coaching staff with a focused approach, adding they mentored them off the court as well during such a difficult time this season.

“Our coaches pushed us every day on the court and our dedication paid off. I will not only remember our success on the court but also how we bonded off the court,” said Alameddin.

That bond started with an unfamiliar turn of events of not knowing whether there was going to be a season. Head coach Jennifer Gillom credits the girls’ dedication, which helped them navigate adversity. 

“They just learned how to get through adversity, and they carried that on to the court,” said Gillom. “They almost didn’t have a season, and when they realized that they were going to have a season they played harder.”

That approach bonded them and almost catapulted them to a state championship. 

“It brought the girls a little bit closer because they knew they had to stay within their circle in order to not get COVID and it kind of kept them in their circle, kept them together, developed their chemistry, and it just manifested a core group of girls that was ready to take on that challenge together,” said Gillom.