Risen from the Ashes: A Summary of the Phoenix’s Impressive Season

February 5, 2024. The Phoenix, Stuyvesant’s girls’ varsity basketball team, had just suffered their 10th defeat at the hands of Martin Luther King Jr. High School’s Lady Knights, concluding their season before the team could reach city playoffs. Being one of the shortest teams in their division with no senior players, all odds appeared to be against them for the following season. However, the Phoenix were able to overcome these challenges with versatility and resilience and live up to their namesake; rising from the ashes of last year, the team successfully broke its playoffs drought this winter season. 

Of course, the journey to division glory was not easy. The Phoenix got off to a rocky start and the feeling that history would repeat itself undoubtedly lingered in the back of the players’ minds. “Our hopes were not high,” junior, center, and team captain Carmen Gomez-Villalva said. Fortunately, the Phoenix had a chance to redeem themselves during their game against the High School of Fashion Industries’ Falcons. They took advantage of this opportunity, finding their rhythm and ultimately prevailing, thoroughly outplaying their opponents and dominating the court offensively in every quarter. In particular, freshman shooting guard Caitleen Zheng scored 20 points, contributing to an impressive 48-22 win. “Something clicked [...] and we really stepped up our game,” Gomez said.

Following the 48-22 victory against Fashion Industries, the Phoenix started an impressive winning streak in December with three consecutive triumphs, including a rematch against Washington Irving that allowed the Phoenix to both rebrand themselves as victors and claim first place in the division. “It was an example of how far we had gotten since our first game, and the vibes were just really good,” Gomez-Villalva said. With their newfound fire, the team’s spirit held strong. They settled into a new rhythm, and the Phoenix’s feathers remained unruffled after a 32-48 loss to LaGuardia. The Phoenix were able to rally again and demonstrate their trademark ferocity in the following match against their fierce rival, Beacon. Although at home, the Phoenix found themselves down by seven points against Beacon in the first quarter. However, the team displayed its characteristic resilience, and with both strong offensive plays and a powerful defense led by Gomez-Villalva, the team was able to regain permanent control of the game. After scoring 18 points in the last quarter, the match ended in a 46-36 triumph. “The team played its best defense of the season [...] which allowed us to defeat a difficult opponent,” Coach Vincent Miller said. 

However, the team could not celebrate for long; a frustrating home game against Port Richmond reminded them of their room for improvement. Despite a final push in the fourth quarter, the game ended in an agonizing 46-49 loss. “Even though they were a good team, we got nervous and did not play as well as we should have,” Gomez-Villalva said. “We really had a shot at winning and couldn’t make it.” Nevertheless, the team’s determination remained strong, and they quickly recovered with a victory against Graphics Campus, followed by another win against the High School of Health Professions and two more wins against both Seward Park and Fashion Industries. Just like with their rocky start, the Phoenix demonstrated their resilience in the face of adversity, ending the season with four consecutive victories. The team redeemed itself after two uneventful seasons and became the first team in three years to earn Stuyvesant girls’ basketball the first-place division ranking.

This achievement is even more impressive due to the team’s initial challenges. One of their biggest obstacles was height. “Every game we played, we were the smaller team, which made it difficult to play defense and rebound,” Miller remarked. However, the Phoenix made up for their short stature with a strong offense. The team deployed multiple point guards at once, taking advantage of their speed to rack up points. “We were successful on fast breaks for most of the season,” Miller said. On the defensive side, the team exhibited immense versatility to shore up their weak spots. Despite the height disadvantage, centers like Gomez-Villalva played remarkable defense by boxing out the taller opposition, as well as taking multiple charges to earn penalty free throws. 

The fact that the team was able to hold its own without senior experience speaks volumes about its promising future. Several underclassmen have already managed to leave their marks on the team, especially freshman shooting guard Caitleen Zheng. In her debut year, she managed to start all 15 possible games and scored an average of 14 points per game—easily the most of all her teammates. “She is our best offensive player,” Coach Miller said. 

The sophomore guards also brilliantly stepped up by adapting their plays as forwards to help their team gain the upper hand. “We really couldn’t have succeeded without them,” Gomez-Villalva said. The lack of seniors on the team is truly indicative of the hard work and skill of every team member; they worked to compensate for age and experience and still managed an impressive number of wins. However, this age disparity will give the Phoenix continuity and stability next year. Their three captains—Carmen Gomez-Villalva, Scarlett Kuit, and Crystal Wu—will be present to guide the team and push everyone to the next level. 

The Phoenix’s goal for the 2025-26 season is already clear: “Win the division, and win more games,” Coach Miller said. “I would also like to win a playoff game next season.” With their young, determined players, there is nothing but hope for this edition of Stuyvesant’s girls’ basketball team. It’s only a matter of time before the Phoenix rise higher.