Sabrina Louis prepares to shoot. Photo sent in by Sabrina Louis 
Christine Nguyen hustles for the ball. Photo sent in by Christine Nguyen. 
Meley Ephrem in position to pass the ball. Photo sent in by Meley Ephrem. 
Photo of Girls' Basketball team. Photo sent in by Yasmine Alayan 
Yasmine Alayan in a position to pass the ball. Photo sent in by Yasmine Alayan. 
Lissette Curran in a position to pass the ball. Photo sent in by Yasmine Alayan. 
Sanvalis Hernandez waits for the ball. Photo sent in by Yasmine Alayan. 
Nevaeh Cherilus positions herself to shoot. Photo sent in by Yasmine Alayan. 
Jada Saddler on defense. Photo sent in by Yasmine Alayan.
The Girls Varsity Basketball team was able to establish chemistry amongst themselves and build confidence on the court by trusting each other. Although their defensive skills were a strength, the team still had difficulty blocking out challenges that come with being a younger team.
They had eleven players and eight of them were either Freshmen or Sophomores. Although they did not have many returning players with experience, in the beginning of the season, they led with a three game winning streak, which is a first in 19 years of girls’ basketball at Malden High School.
The team was able to create a bond by communicating with each other and coming up with strategies that increased their offensive and defensive skills.
According to coach Scott Marino, the team had a “300% increase from the 2018-2019 season” with a record of 8-12. Marino, also expressed that “for the first time in [his] four years of coaching at Malden High, [they] won against Lynn Classical by one point.”
A student-athlete can have difficulty trying to juggle academics and sports simultaneously. Marino expressed that they lost “key players for the final nine games of the season” which served as a lesson for some of the players on the definition of a “student-athlete and the importance of taking care of student [needs] before solely focusing on the term “athlete.”
Sophomore, Yasmine Alayan, a point guard for the team, received her first Greater Boston League All-Star Nomination. She averaged about 8.8 points per game and highlighted how strategic she was while making plays. Alayan described the team as “aggressive” and having excellent “communication” which helped them stay ahead of the game. Alayan goes on to mention other strategies they used such as “pushing the ball up instead of dribbling through,” which stops their opponents from playing defense.
This year, three seniors are leaving: Meley Ephrem, Sabrina Louis and Christine Nguyen. This is the “first group of seniors since being hired as Girls Varsity Basketball Coach at Malden HS” that Coach Marino has had. He is sad to see them go because he “[enjoyed] every moment coaching [them].” He concludes that it was an “unbelievable experience that [he] will never forget.”
During the off-season, the players will be working on their “individual and team skills” to ensure a successful next season by partaking in AAU and Summer League Basketball. The players will be sure to be ready to take on the season with more experience and knowledge of the game.
They won against Lynn Classical which was the first time it happened in Marino’s 4 years of coaching Girls Varsity Basketball at Malden High.
The team’s record was 8-12, which was a “300% increase from the 2018-2019 season.”
