Meridian’s JV basketball program—JV Beast and JV Bold—has had a season marked by improvement and hard work. On November 20th, the fourth round of home basketball games for the year occurred, with Beast holding a 39-4 lead by the fourth period, making it not a one-time show of dominance, but a look to future wins for the team.
Across both of the JV teams, players have learned to celebrate the wins and recover from tough losses. Mobolaji Osisanya, a guard on JV Beast, shared, “We’ve been through our losses, remaining resilient, and have developed good chemistry over time, gaining valuable experience playing without teammates and building teamwork.” That pliability has turned into noticeably stronger cooperation with the squad and smarter play on the court.
Spectators have also picked up on the improvements; Florian Gentillet, who has watched several games this year, mentioned that “This year, the JV teams have been a pleasure to watch— despite losses, they have consistently shown growth, gradually learning to play more cohesively every week”. He added that the progress has been especially clear when comparing their early-season play to how composed they are looking now.
The JV Bold has also grown a significant amount this season, especially in the fields of communication and consistency between plays. Cole Benson, one of Bold’s main forwards, talked about what is next for the team: “We have all gotten better at knowing our roles and trusting our teammates. Next season, I believe we can refine the skills for defense, push ourselves harder, and stay focused despite the inevitable waves of tiredness that come with the sport.”
One of the biggest changes across both teams is their teamwork; practices this season have focused on ball movement, quicker reactions from defense, and improved spacing. Coaches are continually emphasizing learning from any mistakes made, instead of being afraid to make them. Gentillet comments, “They are playing with a significant level of improved confidence in comparison to when the season started.”
Despite there being a huge lead in the recent games, the players are aware of the crucial skill that still needs to be worked on. The players share that they would like to be “more consistent in shooting,” “making communication faster and more effective,” and “staying better composed within the high-pressure moments in the games. With the growth shown so far, the second half of the season is looking promising.
If the JV Bold and Beast teams keep improving at this pace, they will not only be preparing for future Varsity sports as upperclassmen, but also building long-term confidence, ameliorating team relationships, and most importantly, constructing a stronger basketball culture at Meridian.
