The Rosemary Clarke Middle School Girls A Team Sharks wrapped up their home season in style, pulling away in the second half to defeat Amargosa with a commanding 32-14 win.
Before the game, the team honored their eighth-grade players, as it was their last home game. The girls recognized included Ariana Apolinar, Kylee Graham, Jaycie Hayes, Addy Murphy, Raegan Saldana, Abigail Sutton, and Olivia Veloz. The ceremony celebrated their dedication and contributions to the team throughout their middle school basketball careers.
Additionally, the game was designated as the Pink Game in support of breast cancer awareness. The team raised $250, with all proceeds donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. The donations, generously contributed by the crowd, reflected the community’s support for the cause.
The Sharks started the game with intensity, taking an early lead when Raegan Saldana made a big defensive play, stealing the ball and scoring from the right short corner to put RCMS up 2-0. Ariana Apolinar followed with a three-pointer from the right wing to extend the lead. Abigail Sutton sank a buzzer-beater at the end of the first half, but the referees called it off. Despite a strong defensive effort, the Sharks held a slim 7-6 advantage going into halftime.
The second half saw Amargosa take an early lead, but Olivia Veloz quickly answered back to put RCMS back on top. The teams traded baskets before Payton Singer made a key steal and layup, giving the Sharks a 13-10 lead. Singer was later fouled and made a free throw, while Veloz grabbed a rebound and scored to stretch the lead. Another steal and score from Singer helped RCMS take a 17-14 lead into the final quarter.
The fourth quarter belonged to the Sharks as they turned up the defensive pressure and controlled the boards. Veloz made an early free throw, followed by a putback basket to extend the lead to 20-14. Singer scored off the press, followed by another steal and layup to make it 24-14. With three minutes left, Sutton capitalized on multiple offensive rebounds to score, followed by another quick bucket off Amargosa’s turnover to push the lead to 28-14. The Sharks continued their dominance, with Sutton assisting Jaycie Hayes for the final basket, sealing the 32-14 victory.
Despite a sluggish start, Head Coach Mike Moulchin was pleased with how his team responded in the second half. “Third quarter, we hardly played defense like we normally play. We were real lethargic in the first half, and I told them we needed to box out better,” Coach Mike said. “The defense was lazy, and offensively, we were playing a step and a half too fast. But once we slowed it down, we started making better decisions.”
Coach Mike credited several players for stepping up, particularly Brooklyn McMahon for bringing a defensive spark, as well as Kinley Cross-Smith and Emri Wulfenstein, who he called his “Mighty Mites” for their energy. He also highlighted the strong inside presence of Veloz and Saldana, who helped anchor the Sharks’ defense in the second half.
With this victory, the Sharks finished their home schedule on a high note, showing resilience and teamwork in front of their home crowd. As they look ahead to their final remaining game of the season, their second-half performance serves as a reminder of their potential when they play together and focus on fundamentals.
