Senior, Mackenzie Furlong is one of the three captain on the MHS varsity girls basketball team, she plays as the leading point guard. Furlong has been playing varsity since her freshman year, and has been playing the sport since she was six years old. Furlong stated that “it carried in her family”, her sisters and father were big athletes.
She explained that although she made varsity during freshman year, “the first two years were rough”. As time went on the program got stronger and she started to get the hang of it. Despite her struggles, she stated that “[her] father has [motivated her] a lot to become the best athlete [she] can be”. Her father, alongside Coach Scott Marino, boosted her confidence and contributed to her athletic abilities. Other than basketball, during the spring season, she plays on the varsity softball team.
Fellow senior captain, Tiffany Tortora stated that “[Furlong] is a compassionate, funny, and authentic person”. She was not only relied on for her skills but she was also “the type of person to bring you up when you were down” said Tortora. She went further to explain that Furlong is the reason why “our team connects [so] well”. Win or lose, she never gave up, and always works hard 100% of the time.
Junior captain, Salma Bezzat said that “she thinks of everyone’s opinion before making a decision”. Bezzat also explained how she has two different personas, which vary depending on whether or not she is on or off the court. Bezzat also stated that “...[Furlong] gives the team a big boost of confidence when she is present”.
Furlong’s presence impacts the team’s mindset and the way they play. Physically, Furlong is a strong and gifted player, who brings lots of competition to the court. Mentally, she gets keeps the team optimistic even when they’re losing. “She is a dominant player” said Bezzat. The team looks up to her, and her attitude carries out among the team.
Furlong’s goal for this season is to make it to states and improve their record. In order to achieve these goals, the team has to work together. In the last season, the team only won five game in total. Their goal this year is to build up their relationships and have one big family. Bezzat stated that “we see each other 6 out of the 7 days in a week”, so it will be much easier to connect with each other, due to the fact that they see each other more often.
Bezzat believes that because of her, the team is better at communicating with each other. She stated that Furlong was one of the reasons why she ”felt so welcomed during [her] first year of varsity.” Furlong is always acknowledging her team mates, whether it’s at practice or during the school day.
The team respects her as a captain, and think of her as a strong role model. The amount of respect she receives is certainly not just because of how skillful she is. She brings lots of personality to the team and impacts the way they play.
