![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
Varsity boys basketball team defeats Gunderson High School 63-51
Charles Ding (12) attempts a three-pointer from the corner during the varsity boys basketball team’s match against Gunderson High School. The boys won 63-51.
January 6, 2022
The varsity boys basketball team defeated Gunderson High School 63-51 at home last Thursday, Dec. 30. Bowen Xia (9) put the Eagles on the board with two free throws. Kevin Zhang (10) and Bowen then each made layups in the final minute of the first quarter to extend the Eagles’ lead to 13-8.
“I think we really took pride in owning the glass on both ends of the floor, ” Cutum Derecho, assistant varsity boys basketball coach, said. “We didn’t do so much of a good job of taking care of the ball, but we made up for it in other places, which helped us ultimately come out on top.”
Charles Ding (12) opened the scoring for the Eagles in the second quarter with a jumpshot. Abhi Namala (11), who was fouled twice, scored six points, while Kevin, Andrew Chen (12), and Om Tandon (10) all chipped in with three-pointers. Heading into halftime, the Eagles were up 31-20.
The boys maintained their lead in the second half, with Abhi, Kevin and Om contributing a total of nine points in the first four minutes of the third quarter. During the final seconds of the quarter, Bowen converted a three-point buzzer beater to put the Eagles up 51-34.
“The most memorable moment for me was definitely [the buzzer beating three I had] at the end of the third quarter,” Bowen said. “I had no idea I was gonna make that. I just chucked it up. All my teammates were happy for me.”
The Eagles remained dominant in the final quarter, with Charles netting seven points, Abhi and Bowen each making a layup and Andrew scoring a free throw. After the game, Derecho commented on the team’s success in sticking to their gameplan and controlling the ball.
“We had three main points [coming into the game]: attack, contain and own the glass, and I think we did a good job on all three of those,” Derecho said.
Bowen noted how the team’s offensive mindset contributed to their dominant performance.
“We were just told to be very aggressive, to attack the basket and get rebounds, and I think we did just that, ” Bowen said.
As they approach the final weeks of their season, the team looks to maintain their consistent effort at practice and their aggressive approach on both sides of the ball in game.
“A few games back, we weren’t playing that well,” Andrew said. “I think [our goal going forward] is changing our mindset and going all out in practice.”
The team also defeated Andrew Hill 62-50 last Tuesday. Their next match is against Crystal Springs tomorrow.
