On Jan. 17, Murray High’s girls basketball team suffered a loss to Skyline during their home game, 45-37. Although they lost, the girls were able to play with confidence and sportsmanship that aligned with Murray High’s Spartan SPAR motto: Serve, Participate, Achieve, Respect. 

In the first quarter, the energy from the team started to go up after shooting their first shot. Right after scoring, Skyline started to get back into the game and started scoring to create a blockage. Although Murray’s scoring was slowly starting to drift away from Skyline’s, the team continued to communicate with one another. 

Murray guard Charlotte Scherbel said, “I think that I loved the energy that we had throughout the first quarter. We were all playing really hard defense and working together as a team during a time where we don’t usually show a lot of energy. It really just demonstrates how much fun we were having in the first quarter of the game.”

Team compatibility showed as did sportsmanship. During the game, a guard from Skyline’s team fell while trying to block out Murray. Instead of letting her get up on her own, two of the basketball players from Murray helped her up. Murray guard Mia Auclaire said, “I feel like helping each other up during the game even when we are missing shots represents us as the Spartans that we’re always keeping it positive.”

Murray’s SPAR culture encourages a family dynamic, and it’s something the basketball players feel is present with one another. Murray’s post position player Iyana Beh said, “There isn’t anyone I can’t talk to in the team. Our culture is definitely something like a family for sure.” 

In the second period of the game, the referee called out a foul. Although one would expect a shout from the players, the players instead went to the referee and asked how they could better handle the situation and continued to play. When a time out was called, the team huddled and created their plan with coach Holly Gillette. 

During every time out, Gillette made sure the players were feeling OK and created a game plan with them. Murray’s post position, sometimes guard, Alyviana Rojas said, “She’s a dependent person that’ll never allow us to look down on each other.”

As the game continued, the box scores weren’t on their side. Gillette continued to give the team a game plan as they got behind Skyline. 

During the third period, the cheers of the crowd become the cries of encouragement toward Murray’s players. Player Sariah Taeoalii said, “Honestly, when I hear the people cheering it really motivates me to keep working even when I am tired. I feel like I need to keep working to show that I still would like to win and that there still could be a chance.”

With the cheering turning into a standing ovation on the Murray side, 

the other team started to get nervous as their shots continued to hit the backboard, but in the end, they were able to catch up to Murray. The game ended with Skyline taking over the court and joining the other teammates at the bench with high-fives. Murray players, on the other hand, still were filled with SPAR pride.