![“[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)
The junior varsity boys basketball team lost to Lynbrook 36-51 on Nov. 25 in Zhang Athletic Center.
The Eagles dropped behind early in the first quarter, losing the tipoff to the Vikings and falling behind 0-4. Oliver Chen (10) and David Li (10) both scored 2-pointers to tie the score at 4-4, but the Vikings pulled ahead to an 11-6 lead. Lynbrook continued to add to their score with consecutive 2-pointers, bringing the score to 15-6.
The Harker offense struggled to break through the aggressive Lynbrook defense. The Eagles committed multiple turnovers as the Vikings implemented a defensive strategy where they pressured the Harker ball-handler as soon as the ball was inbounded. Oliver cited inconsistency in ball handling and passing as factors for explaining why the Vikings outscored the Eagles in the first quarter.
“The full court press is definitely something we need to work on that Lynbrook used against us,” Oliver said. “Our team is losing the ball too much when we’re getting pressed. We have to stay in control under pressure and stay calm.”
The Eagles’ offensive shortcomings resulted in frequent turnovers. Frustrated with the Eagles’ lack of success in their plays, co-captain Caden Ruan (10) picked up two personal fouls after driving to the basket through heavy traffic.
“In the first quarter, we had 10 turnovers alone,” Caden said. “As they say, a turnover is negative four points. You lose the opportunity to score two points, they get two points on their side. So the 10 turnovers we had dug ourselves into a 9-point hole. I got frustrated and tried to take shots that weren’t there.”
The Eagles found their offensive footing in the second quarter, matching the Vikings 12-12 in scoring. Shooting guard Jerry Ge (9) scored a 3-pointer to bring the total score up to 21-30 at halftime.
During halftime, junior varsity head coach Nicholas “Nick” Nguyen praised the boys’ offensive production in the second quarter. The Eagles’ frequent passes led to more open shots by Jerry and shooting guard Alan Gao (10), two of five different Eagles who contributed to the scoreboard in the second quarter.
“We’re doing a much better job getting guys open looks,” Nguyen said. “Jerry had an open 3-pointer towards the end there; Alan also had some good looks and made a three. Let’s keep running our offense, and the opportunities will come.”
Following halftime, Alan scored another 3-pointer and consecutive free throws to rally the Eagles to 26-38, but Lynbrook maintained their lead throughout the second half of the game. Lynbrook scored the last points of the game, bringing the final score to 36-51.
A big factor in Lynbrook’s victory was their efficient offense when compared to Harker’s. The Vikings utilized multiple screens to block Harker defenders, creating space for Lynbrook players to take shots. Nguyen urged the Eagles to stay close to their assigned player and defend in closer proximity.
“The team needs to be more physical, because basketball is essentially a physical sport,” Nguyen said. “They have to work on being more aggressive defending against opponents’ offenses. We only took two free throws. That says something about our effort and mindset when defending.”
In addition to identifying the team’s shortcomings, Nguyen commended the Eagles’ performance in communication. When Harker managed to have the ball, they called out plays loud enough for all five players to hear, allowing them to cooperate more effectively.
“They’re doing a good job communicating with each other,” Nguyen said. “That’s the one thing they’ve struggled the most throughout the season, but they did a really good job talking to each other today.”
To gain the most out of the team’s loss, the Eagles continued to reflect on their weaknesses to improve for future games. Caden delivered a three-minute speech after the game in the locker room addressing panicked decision-making.
“When you have the ball, you always have to be composed,” Caden said to his teammates. “You have to look around, you can’t put the ball on the floor immediately. Just take a moment to think, and you’ll make less turnovers and create more looks for the team. The wins will follow.”
The boys junior varsity basketball team sits at a season record of 1-4. They play Piedmont Hills next on Dec. 22.
