Luke Orth ’18

---

The 2016 school year has proven to be an exciting time for Strake Jesuit Basketball. Varsity has qualified for the UIL playoffs, and both of the Junior Varsity teams finished with winning records. However, although these three teams have shown impressive skills and teamwork throughout the season, it is another Strake Jesuit Basketball team that catches the attention of its program and fans. Over the course of the season, the Freshman Green team displayed teamwork that was unmatched by its district competitors, and caught the eye of the Jesuit community.

With a perfect record in district play, and a 26-1 record overall, the Freshman Green team easily stands out from the crowd. In relationship with the other teams in the basketball program, they have the best record. As far as scoring goes, Freshman Green often defeats teams by over 30 points. There is no doubt that this team possess some serious skill, but what makes them so successful? Ms. Torres believes she knows the answer.

As an assistant basketball coach, Ms. Torres has a great sense of the elements that make up a successful basketball team. When asked what the key to winning was, she said, “It is important that the team understands each other, and that they don’t care about their individual stats”. Overall, it is their unselfishness and devotion to the team that leads them to victories. Ms. Torres continued by saying, “The whole team stands together, and that’s what is beautiful. You look at them and say, they are a team”. When asked if she could describe the team in three words, she responded with, “Unity, Chemistry, and Unselfishness.” For any team or other group, these traits are vital for prosperity.

The Jesuit Freshman Green basketball team has shined throughout the 2016 season. For most of the players this was their first year on a team together, and they surely met expectations, if not surpassed them. As they await their next 3 years at Strake Jesuit, the future of the basketball program truly seems bright and hopeful. In the words of Ms. Torres, “They are every coach’s dream.”