Four decades ago, Ruth Whiteley started teaching and coaching the girls basketball program at Bryan High. For 10 years she coached the team until she transitioned into a full time history teacher.

As basketball season gets into full swing, the team has made it a priority to involve the student body in a way that will impact the spirit of the school as a whole. The relationship between the fans and the players is symbiotic as one feeds off the other to create a successful season.

The final seconds tick down. The Vikings have the ball. Sophomore power forward, Rodney Johnson pushes his way through heavy traffic to get to the goal and score. As one of the youngest players on the team, Rodney continues to show growth as he advances to lead the team in the future.

The pristine shine of polished hardwood, crowds screaming “Defense!”, coaches yelling for players to watch the ball, and only 30 seconds left on the clock. For senior Wade McGregor, this is the atmosphere that pushes and inspires him to keep coming back to the game he loves to play.

Working one’s way up to the top requires hard word, dedication, time, effort, and patience. When a sophomore earns their spot on a varsity team, the style of play changes. It’s faster, it’s harder, it’s more aggressive, and it’s overwhelming, but as the seasons pass, the player gains experience and that sophomore who was overwhelmed now leads the team. Senior Charnell Gibson has experienced this in basketball, starting out on the JV team as a freshman and then as a sophomore on varsity. She was immersed in the change of pace and is now leading the charge on the court.

Basketball is the definition of a team sport. Five players on the court must interact in a seamless fashion to effectively protect their own goal and score points in their opponent’s. Injuries and setbacks can ruin a season and cripple a team, but they can also be used to strengthen bonds and push the team to come together even more.

Walking into the gym on a cold Tuesday night, there’s a basketball pounding the floor and a crowd roaring at the game they’re watching. The Bryan High varsity boy’s basketball team is led by 6’2”, 180 pounds of pure toughness, junior Zach Nutall who averaged 18 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists last season as a sophomore, and is constantly improving his averages and the team’s success.

Getting the ball off the rebound, number 11 sweeps in and sprints down the court. The other end of the court is wide open and the Viking players do their best to protect him as he preps to make an Empire State Building sized jump. Senior Quaylon Newton gets up to the basket and makes a slam dunk with a force that could break the glass of the backboard. All the while the crowd is going wild as the Vikings take the lead in the last few seconds, and win the game.

As a shooting guard for the lady Viking basketball team, senior Jordan Lopez-Rhodes knows how to reach a goal. However, Jordan’s story doesn’t start or end on the court. Since last year, Jordan and her family have been striving to reach a different goal: helping to ease the suffering of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

The girls will play Spring Dekanney High School at 7:00pm Monday at New Caney Porter HS for the first round of play-off action.

Dedication: the quality of being committed to a task or purpose. For senior Arthur Vivero his purpose is clear, and his commitment to basketball is an understatement. The rush of the crowd, the suspense of the buzzer, and the pressure to win; that is what fuels him to not only to be his best, but to consistently improve.

Running up and down the court, sweat dripping down her face, the clock ticking down second by second. The intensity of playing basketball has motivated junior Jordan Lopez-Rhodes to be the best that she can be on and off the court.

A big part of friendship is having a connection. When you share something you love with that person, it makes the friendship much more special. For juniors Kia White and Penny Watson, basketball is a common interest, but their friendship goes past the gym doors.