While the girls basketball team had some key players graduate at the end of last season, head coach Dr. Anthony Pappas has high hopes for the 2023-24 team. This year will be full of “coaching a whole new set of players, improving, and showing people that we’re gonna work hard and become a good team,” says Pappas.
At the end of last year’s season the team lost seven seniors with four college commits, two of which being D1. The season ended on a note of disappointment, with a first round exit at the very highly anticipated state tournament. Everyone was left wondering, what will Waterloo West Girls Basketball do next year?
This year the team has gotten three new transfers. The first being Agum Matit the 6’5″ sophomore from Cedar Falls, who is stealing everyone’s attention. Nakia Ollivierre is another sophomore transfer coming from AGWSR High School, who is one of the top scoring leaders in the state. Ollivierre has already been making big moves at West in cross country. This year she broke a school record and earned a fourth place finish at the state meet.
Amongst the three transfers is senior Brooklyn Love. Love first started her high school career at East High and then went to Hudson. “It feels amazing to be back in the Waterloo District. While I have been in two other programs, Waterloo West was originally my home district and it has been effortless transitioning back into the district. Everyone here at West has been extremely accepting and supportive of me being here, and although the year is early I’ve already made some great memories with my peers, staff, and coaches,” she shares.
On Thursday, November 16, the Wahawks participated in the annual girls basketball jamboree hosted at East High School. The team was matched against Sumner-Fredericksburg High School in the two quarter game.
By the end of the first quarter, the Wahawks led the game 17-13. By the end of the game the team won 31-18, now adding a “W” in the win column. Ollivierre lead the team to victory with 16 points at the end of the game. While the team had a great debut, there is still a lot of time left in the season and more time to improve.
With the season just starting, Pappas has large goals for the team this year. “We want to have a great season we want to contend for another MVC championship, it’d be our fifth in a row. We want to contend to go to the state tournament to be our fifth in a row, and hopefully do well in the state tournament,” he shares.
The first home game for the Wahawks will be against Crestwood High School on November 28th starting at 7:30.
