The Independence Girls Basketball Team didn’t just improve over the course of the season, they completely changed the way they played and carried themselves.
To start the season the girls’ confidence levels were not high. As Senior Captain Emily Gibbons put it, “We would get down on ourselves early on in the season. We started to find our groove as the season went on and were able to trust each other.” That shift became obvious as the season went on. Practices got sharper, execution improved, and even against tougher opponents late in the year, Independence consistently competed. Gibbons also noted, “Sometimes losing close games hurt, but we were always there to encourage each other to keep pushing and keep the confidence we have in our game.” That mindset became a defining part of the team.
What separated this group, though, was the chemistry. According to Gibbons, “This group of girls is one of the most special teams I have ever gotten to play with.” And it showed. The team wasn’t just close during games, they were constantly together off the court too. From long team dinners to joking around at practice, the bond was real. “We became a family… We were all so supportive of each other,” she said. That connection made a difference when things got tough, and it helped create a positive, high-energy environment all season.
That same idea was echoed by Lucy Spencer, also a Senior Captain, who said, “I’m most proud of how we all came together as a team, it was a very positive environment to be in every day.” It wasn’t just talk, this team backed it up with the way they played.
One of the best examples of the team coming together as one came in their first matchup with Beachwood. “We all played together and multiple people had a very high scoring game. It wasn’t just a game of individuals but mostly team play,” Spencer explained. That game showed exactly what Independence was capable of when everything clicked: balanced scoring, unselfish play, and confidence across the board.
By the end of the season, it was clear this was a different team than the one that started the year. They figured things out, stuck together, and made every game competitive. More than anything, it was a group that enjoyed being around each other and that’s what made it special.
