Calhoun's basketball, indoor track and table tennis teams concluded their winter seasons in February. On and off the court, our student-athletes displayed great sportsmanship and teamwork – working together to grow their skills and compete in games, meets and matches. Go Cougars!
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Varsity Boys/Non-Binary Students Basketball
The Varsity Boys/Non-Binary Students Basketball team had a dominant season on the court. Led by seniors Ben S. '25, Chosen M.-K. '25 and Esteban R. '25, the team ended the season with a record of 16-9 – managing massive wins against all league opponents. One of the highlights was the team's second home game against Columbia Prep. Coach Casey Shane described it as electric, writing, "We beat the number one team and did so with such a team effort. I was so proud of the entire group for executing the way they did." The team posted the highest defensive percentage in the league for the third year in a row; as Casey explains, "our brand of basketball was on display throughout the season." The team finished third overall and their performance earned them a spot in the NYCAL playoffs, where they competed against Grace Church in the quarterfinals. "Although we did not win a championship, the team should be incredibly proud of their efforts," reflects Casey.
Varsity Girls/Non-Binary Students Basketball
The Varsity Girls/Non-Binary Students Basketball team's season was defined by individual and team development. As coaches Cheikh Fall, Kaliph Grant and Crystal Bellinger explain, "The main goal was to make the players better, and that goal was greatly exceeded by season's end. Players' understanding, skill and feel for the game took major leaps from where it stood at the beginning of the season." The coaches cited the second game versus Grace Church as one of the highlights of the season. Grace Church, the second best team in the league, had previously beat Calhoun by 23 points; in the second game, the team lost by only eight points. It was "a true testament to the team's growth," write the coaches. Molly B. '27 was outstanding on the court, and Alya L. '25 displayed spectacular leadership on and off the court.
Varsity Table Tennis
Calhoun's Table Tennis program continues to develop after launching a few years ago. Coached by Xiaolin Lin and Nicole Massa, the Varsity team grew in confidence throughout the season. The student-athletes realized "a team's reputation shouldn’t dictate how we psychologically prepare ourselves for that match," write Xiaolin and Nicole, noting "there is always a way to take out a top-seeded player in any sport." When the team faced Browning, one of the toughest teams in the league, the players still put up a good fight and displayed excellent sportsmanship. Griffin H.-S. '27 and Ridley H.-S. '27 showed leadership by offering pointers to other teammates between changeovers and providing skillful advice both during practices and games.
Varsity Indoor Track
The Varsity Indoor Track team raced in several regular-season NYCAL meets at the Armory, before sending over twenty student-athletes to compete in the NYCAL championships on February 12. The Girls/Non-Binary Students team placed third overall at the meet. For individual performances, Simone A. '27 placed first in both the 300m and the 600m, Selin O. '25 placed second in the 3000m, and four Calhoun athletes placed in the top five in the shot put competition.
Junior Varsity Grey Boys/Non-Binary Students Basketball
The Junior Varsity Grey Boys/Non-Binary Students Basketball team had a standout season, with a record of 10-4. Coaches Gibran Rochez and Demani Smith are proud of how adaptable the student-athletes were, and noted Fela B. O. '27 displayed leadership qualities throughout the season. The team's goal was to make it to the playoffs and compete in the championship game, which they did. Calhoun was seeded second as they entered the NYCAL JV semifinals and defeated third-seeded Loyola 53-43. They competed in a hard-fought championship game against Columbia Prep to end the season. We look forward to the team continuing to build on the momentum from this year.
Junior Varsity Green Boys/Non-Binary Students Basketball
The Junior Varsity Green Boys/Non-Binary Students Basketball team spent the season becoming more familiar with the rules of the sport, advancing their skills, and establishing a strong team dynamic. Coached by David Shepard, the team competed in ten games and as the season progressed, they were able to grow their scores against competitors. Sam M. '27 led the team well, and overall the student-athletes displayed accountability and showed up for each other in practices and games.
Middle School Grey Boys/Non-Binary Students Basketball
The Middle School Grey Boys/Non-Binary Students Basketball team is full of talented players who move the ball at a fast pace. Student-athletes excelled at netting rebounds and passing the ball as they moved down the court. Throughout the season, the team notched several impressive wins, including defeating UNIS 54-44, Lycée 41-20, and Bank Street 53-33. We're excited to see our seventh grade players return next year and our eighth graders continue to grow their skills as they join the Upper School.
Middle School Girls/Non-Binary Students Basketball
The Middle School Girls/Non-Binary Students Basketball team spent their season growing their skills on the court and establishing their own rhythm of the game. A passionate group of athletes, one of the highlights was their 34-33 win against Rodeph Sholom School in early January. The future is bright for the basketball program as the team looks to build off of its progress from this season.
Middle School Green Boys/Non-Binary Students Basketball
In their time on the court, members of the Middle School Green Boys/Non-Binary Students Basketball team gained valuable experience learning the fundamentals of basketball while acquiring an understanding of teamwork and team spirit. One of the highlights of the season was the team's away game versus UNIS: "Against a ruckus fourth quarter crowd, Calhoun calmly executed their offensive sets perfectly and sealed the game late on free throws for their first win of the year," write coaches Sean Strausbaugh and Koby Kusi-Appiah. Every player grew and improved their basketball skills and IQ over the season as they worked on their individual goals and built tolerance for losing or messing up. Ethan S. '30 and Wyatt R. '30 showed real leadership and potential throughout the season.