The early November twenty-degree weather seems to be a fitting start to Berkeley Carroll’s longest and most grueling sports season: basketball.  While most BC students sit at home with a hot beverage and a snuggie, the basketball team is braving the cold winter, day after day at practice and in games.  Their season spans about four months, concluding with their final game in late February.

The basketball team officially started practices on November 3rd, but many players have been participating in basketball clinics that were open to the entire school in the months leading up to the season.  These clinics allowed the athletes to get into shape, work on their skills, and get to know their future teammates.  The extra practice prepared them well for their first three scrimmages against Brooklyn Friends, Horace Mann, and Poly Prep.  They kicked off their regular season on November 25th against Grace Church, where they had the opportunity to play at the Barclays Center!  The team represented Berkeley Carroll well at the famous venue, winning 41-31.

Co-captains Danny McCormack and Eugene Clarke are confident that the team will be very successful this year.  Although they lost a few strong players last season, BC has a solid starting lineup, consisting of seniors Danny and Eugene, juniors Jimmy Council and Ryan Hubbs, and freshman Ismael Massoud.  “We are a young team, but we play great team basketball.  This is the most selfless team I have been on and I think that will carry us far,” Danny explains.  He believes that this will be a huge benefit against the team’s rivals and toughest opponents, SIA, Packer, and Léman.

Looking ahead, the team hopes to make another run at winning the state tournament.  Last year, BC finished on top of the ACIS league at the end of the regular season, but came up short in the state finals.  This season, the team wants to build upon last year’s success to win the entire tournament.  “It isn’t going to be easy, but we are a hungry team,” Danny says.  With this team’s skill and determination, there is no doubt that they will give it all they’ve got.