The joy of
teamwork
Winter Sports 2025
- Upper School
- Middle School
Upper School
girls varsity basketball
The Girls Varsity Basketball team has had a strong showing so far this season. After graduating four seniors last season, the team has done a great job finding a new identity and competing well. With a handful of underclassmen on the team, the team is eager to learn and get better every day. Our winning record has earned us a 2 seed heading into playoffs and we are looking forward to making a postseason run!
FROM THE CAPTAINS
Eva G. ’25
The past four years with all my coaches, especially Coach Baisden, have been amazing. They are some of the kindest people I’ve ever met, always pushing me to be my best while genuinely caring about me as a person. Coach Baisden, in particular, has a way of seeing the special qualities each player brings to the team, making everyone feel valued and important. Their belief in me has meant so much, and I’m beyond grateful for everything they’ve done to help me grow on and off the court.
Melina M. ‘25
Over the past four years I have had the opportunity to be coached by all three coaches Coach Baisden, Coach Alferi and Coach Chris. It is clear to the whole team that we have a high level of respect towards them. It has been so much fun playing for Watkinson and my love for basketball has grown throughout my time on this team! I am going to miss all the jokes that we make during practice and all the friendships I have made since freshman year. I will miss you guys and the team. Wishing all the best next year. Go RAMS!!
girls varsity basketball
most valuable player
EVA G. ’25
Eva's exceptional season, marked by an outstanding 28 points per game average, is a testament to her unwavering dedication and skill. More than just a scorer, she's been the driving force behind our team's success. Her dynamic leadership, both vocal and through her remarkable on-court performance, has inspired her teammates. Eva seamlessly transitions between point guard and shooting guard, demonstrating her high level of versatility. She has stepped up to make huge plays for us down the stretch by scoring and finding her teammates. We have been lucky to have her the last four years!
girls varsity basketball
most valuable defensive player
ARIANNA R. ’25
Ari's defensive IQ is exceptional and it has allowed her to be the best defensive player on our team for the past two years. Ari's quickness, anticipation and competitiveness make it easy for her to guard anyone on the court. Aside from her individual skill, her deep understanding of the game and her selfless nature to help out teammates have been key to our defense as a whole. Her vocal leadership serves as the glue for our defense, keeping everyone on the same page. She has the ability to disrupt individual players, and entire offenses, contributing to our success overall!
girls varsity basketball
most improved player
HANNAH P. ’27
Hannah has made impressive strides in her shooting, rebounding and defensive abilities on the court for us. Hannah has been tasked with starting and playing significant minutes, while also playing almost every position on the court, without question and with 100% effort. Her competitive drive sparks energy for our team. Several of Hannah’s crucial contributions don’t show up in the stats: key deflections, stepping up to guard the team’s best player, being the first one back on defense to break up a transition play, boxing out, and playing hard at all times. She is a player that is always at the right place at the right time.
girls varsity BASKETBALL
MCDONALD SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
AMANDA K. ’26
Amanda re-joined our team this season and stepped up a starter. Amanda has been a steady force for us on both ends of the floor. She shows up to practice ready to learn and get better. Her encouragement for her teammates and general positivity is infectious. She’s one of the first players to cheer for the success of her teammates and she cares more about making the right play, embodying the spirit of a true team player.
girls varsity BASKETBALL
COACHES AWARD
MELINA M. ’25
Melina is a coachable player that is willing to do whatever the team needs to win. As a senior captain this year, her leadership has been key: getting the team organized before practice, reminding players about their practice jerseys, and keeping our team hype during games… just to name a few. She brings enthusiasm and positivity everyday and we’ve been lucky to have her these last four years. We’ll miss her next season!
BOYS VARSITY BASKETBALL
Our boys varsity basketball team had a strong season! We emphasized being the most connected team and being the best leaders and teammates we can be. We improved a lot throughout the season, individually and as a team. Our coaches are grateful for the collective effort from our team. Thank you all! #Family #ChampionsDoExtra
boys varsity basketball
most valuable player
MALIK R. ’25
Mailk is relentless on the court. Not many defenders know what to do when he's charging their way. A true MVP is someone who has the athletic skills, leadership skills, and discipline to excel. Malik has all three of these characteristics. He has never backed down from a challenge and always volunteers to guard the opposing team's top player. Congrats Malik on a well deserved MVP and we will miss your big smile next year.
boys varsity BASKETBALL
most IMPROVED player
ALEXANDER W-P. ’28
Alex, a freshman, has earned the title of Most Improved Player through dedication and relentless effort on and off the court. At the start of the season, he was just finding his footing, but through countless hours of practice outside of school and a never-give-up attitude, Alex has improved greatly. His confidence as a teammate has grown exponentially. Alex's shooting showed major improvement since winter break. He has now turned into a confident shooter on the court. He is consistently one of the first to submit his scouting reports. We are excited for his growth as a student athlete through the next three years.
ERIC H. ’28
Eric has earned the title of Most Improved Player. Eric has shown tremendous progress since November. Eric is always ready for a challenge and has made some big plays, in big games this season. On the bench, Eric is the loudest and first to pick up his teammates. Eric has worked very hard this season and has quickly become a leader. We are excited to see how you develop as a leader for the next couple of years. Thank you, Eric!
boys varsity BASKETBALL
COACHES AWARD
AIDAN T. '26
Despite breaking his hand at the beginning of this year, Aidan has been to every practice and game. Aidan is the definition of culture guy for Watkinson Basketball. Whether it's encouraging his teammates in game or at practice, informing coaches in mid-game on how to approach the other team's defense, or even making a buzzer beater with one hand…Aidan is a student-athlete that every coach wants on their team. Congrats Aidan and thank you for all your hard work this season.
boys varsity BASKETBALL
MCDONALD SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
NATHAN N. ’25
Nathan has the "Whatever it Takes" mindset. Constant hours in the gym helping and pushing his fellow teammates. Nathan was so quick to adopt the team culture and has never complained about any drill or outcome. Despite hitting 5 3s in one game Nathan was the first to shout out his teammates' performances after the game. Congrats Nathan!
VARSITY FENCING
In Watkinson's second season of competitive fencing, and first season in the Central conference, we went to 15 competitions, all away, meeting 9 teams twice. Van 3 now has an extra 1,500 miles or so on it, and so do we. Team captains were Charles and Zoey (Foil) and Hans (Epee). Epee was our winningest squad, though Foil achieved some serious upsets through the season. We’re still a young team, with 5 Freshmen, so look out Connecticut, we’re shooting to lose our underdog status.
FROM THE CAPTAINS
Charles T. '25
When Coach Aavastmark formed the fencing team in my junior year, he created a second home for me and others. Our small group became like family, both on and off the strip. Coach Aavastmark taught us all to be better fencers and encouraged us to be resilient, resolute, and supportive of our teammates. I’m grateful for the opportunities he provided for me to exercise my leadership and communication skills, because it contributed to my growth as an athlete, and teammate. Thank you, Coach Aavastmark!
varsity FENCING
MOST VALUABLE FENCER AWARD
CHARLES T. ’25 and HANS A. ’25
Charles and Hans are the last of the Fall fencing alumni, and have been our team captains for two years. They have performed outstandingly well in competitions and practices.
Charles has one of the best records on the team, competes with a fierce energy, and more importantly, shares his knowledge, experience and skill with the newer fencers.
Hans switched to Epee this year, and led his squad to several team victories, making Epee our best ranked team. Hans has hardly missed a practice, never missed a competition, has led by example, and fences with an infectious enthusiasm, even when he's down.
varsity FENCING
MOST IMPROVED FENCER AWARD
ZOEY S. ’28
Zoey started this year on foil, and has demonstrated enormous growth. Zoey is highly coachable and receptive to feedback. Despite leading a squad of four, in many cases, Zoey has been our only Women's foil competitor, going up against some of the most seasoned varsity squads in the state, and often winning.
varsity FENCING
coaches AWARD
JALEN A. ’25
Jalen had a great season until incurring a serious knee injury in a match against Simsbury. Losing Jalen from our Men's foil squad was a setback for the team. Despite his injury, he's contributed his exceptional referee skills, and worked with the younger athletes to improve their form.
varsity FENCING
MCDONALD SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
GIDEON J. ’28
Gideon came to the foil with a background in saber, and has successfully brought his explosive saber attack against his unwitting competitors. Whether he wins or loses, Gideon's positive attitude brings everyone up.
jv BOYS BASKETBALL
This season, JV basketball improved tremendously as the season progressed. We started our season with a thriller against Eagle Hill, with the game coming down to the final shot! The team worked incredibly hard all season on improving skills, communication and set plays. We played some terrific basketball the second half of the season and were able to beat Hamden Hall on our home floor! I am very proud of our team and the dedication of all of the players this season!
JV BOYS BASKETBALL
most valuable player
LIAM W. ’27
This award goes to Liam W., whose energy, positivity, rapidly growing skills, and leadership on the court were undeniable. As our starting point guard, Liam saw the whole court, kept the ball moving, and often wrong-footed opponents with his speedy, fearless moves. These strengths, as well as his impressive number of three point shots, made him the team’s high scorer. His upbeat personality and genial support of everyone on the team just made his participation all the more valuable. Congratulations, Liam!
JV BOYS BASKETBALL
MCDONALD SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
RYAN R. ’25
This award goes to Ryan R., a player who, in addition to being a strong contributor on the court, always exemplifies good sportsmanship and represents Watkinson in a positive way. This was also Ryan’s second year as one of the team’s Captains, his teammates recognizing both his great work ethic and inspiring attitude as an athlete and leader. We thank Ryan for his many contributions to the team, and we’ll miss him next year.
JV BOYS BASKETBALL
most improved player
NATHAN P. '26
This award goes to Nathan P., whose hard work and dedication to improvement were a model to his teammates. At every practice and in every minute of every game he played, Nathan strove to develop his skills under the basket, boxing out, rebounding, and blocking other players’ shots. His great attitude and strong, consistent effort made him more and more of a force to be reckoned with at the low post, and he became an important part of each of our wins this season.
CAREM E. '27
This award also goes to Carem E., a player who showed significant growth as a player and teammate over the course of the season. Over the course of the season, Carem earned his way into the starting lineup through visibly and consistently supporting his team while also working hard to develop his basketball skills. He improved both his shooting skills and his ability to find his spot on the court greatly, dependably hitting his mark on the floor and becoming a key component of many scoring plays.
JV BOYS BASKETBALL
COACHeS AWARD
DYLAN G. ’26
In both practices and games, a common sound to be heard was Dylan’s voice saying, “All good!” Regardless of the moment—a mistake during a drill, an ill-conceived shot in a scrimmage, or a tense moment in a game—Dylan was endlessly and sincerely supportive of his teammates. He offered his encouragement to every player regardless of their experience and ability—which is why the team chose him as a Captain for the second year in a row, and why we are giving him the Coaches Award, also for the second consecutive year. Thanks for being a superb teammate and role model, Dylan!
Middle School
MS GIRLS BASKETBALL
The Girls Middle School Basketball team had an amazing 2024-2025 season. For the first time in years, the young rams maintained a winning record, and ended the season with only one loss! With only 7 members on the team, each player worked hard to always be present and bring their best effort. Each practice and game was a joy to coach, and the young rams played and practiced with mighty intensity. We are so proud of all these young players accomplished. We will miss our small team, that became like a family, and look forward to seeing all each member does in the future!
MS GIRLS BASKETBALL
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
JORDANA C. ’29
Jordy has played for us for the last three years. Every year, Jordy has improved and become more serious about her game. This season, Jordy was captain of the team, led the team in assists, and helped the team to maintain a winning record! Jordy always looks for her teammates, brings energy to every practice, and works hard on both defense and offense. As our point guard, Jordy was in charge of running the plays, and helping her teammates understand timing and space on the court. We are so proud of all that Jordy has accomplished, and we look forward to all she accomplishes on the Varsity team!
MS GIRLS BASKETBALL
MOST VALUABLE defensive PLAYER
STELLA ZIHAN Z. ’29
Stella is our Most Valuable Defensive Player! Stella was new to the team this year, and learned a lot in a little time. As someone who was new to the sport, she brought her competitive nature and ability to lock in and focus on the task at hand. On defense, no one could get by Stella. With her quick feet and ability to anticipate, Stella led the team in stops and steals. It was so impressive to watch Stella shut down opponents, and slide her way across the court to stop offenses in their tracks. We are so happy she was on our team this year, and greatly helped the young rams to many victories!
MS GIRLS BASKETBALL
McDonald Sportsmanship Award
MCKENZI G. ’29
McKenzi was new to our team this season, and we were lucky to have her! During practice McKenzi was always encouraging other players, and showing that their roles are important. She consistently pointed out that everyone on the team was important, and their energy and effort was pivotal to our success. McKenzi plays tough, but always high fives or plays on after tough matchups. As an 8th grader, McKenzi was a leader on the team, always including all of her teammates. Her encouragement and positive energy was contagious. We look forward to seeing all that McKenzi does with basketball in the future!
MS GIRLS BASKETBALL
COACHES Award
JAELI P. ’29
Jaeli arrived on our court half way through the season, and brought a new energy and commitment to the team. She effortlessly blended with her teammates, and became an integral part of our team. Jaeli's past experience on the basketball court made her reliable, and extremely coachable. Jaeli was always asking how to get better, hoping to run through plays, and pushing her teammates to stay focused and ready to play. She is a coach's dream, and any coach would be grateful to have her on their team! We can't wait to see all Jaeli does with basketball in the future!
MS GIRLS BASKETBALL
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
SOFIA L. ’31
As a younger member of the team, Sofia came to the court with little experience. Over the course of the season Sofia went from a novice to an experienced player. Her natural competitiveness and will to win helped the young Rams to many victories. Throughout the season she went from a low shooting percentage, to making many more shots! She learned plays, different types of defense, and executed these all in games with joy and energy. Sofia is always ready to learn something new, and get better every single practice. The saying "practice like you play" perfectly applies to Sofia, and helped her earn the award of Most Improved Player! We can't wait to see all she does in seasons to come.
MS BOYS BASKETBALL
We had an amazing 22 basketball players on our team by the end of this season, each with a varying skill set; but every player had the same drive to work hard and improve their game. An abundance of players lead to the ability for us to mix and match starting line-ups, leading to defensive problems for most of our opponents. Everyone trained hard and we know at times there was some frustration, but we are grateful that the guys trusted us enough and followed through towards our goals each day. We battled a few injuries throughout the season, and are still battling a few even to this day; but the boys made the best of the packed bench and finished the season with a 4-4 record. The coaches wish Paul, Javi, Jack H., David, Jason, and Jerry the best of luck as they all move up into High School next year!
MS BOYS BASKETBALL
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
CAMERON L. ’30
Cam entered this season as a skilled basketball player before he even stepped on Watkinson's beautiful court. His ability to dribble both lefty and right, as well as use his great speed allowed him to drive by almost all defenders he faced. Cam led the team in scoring in every game he played in, as well as earning a starting point guard spot. On defense, Cam was integral in setting up who everyone was guarding when in man on man positioning as well as being a lockdown defender himself on most of the best players we faced. All of his practice came to fruition in our final game against Master's where Cam was calling out isolation plays against their best player and blowing by him for an easy lay up numerous times on the way to our big final win of the season. We look forward to working with and watching Cam get better each week next season and in his future here at Watkinson.
MS BOYS BASKETBALL
COACHES Award
JAVI K. ’29 AND PAUL Z. ’29
The coaches had 22 players this season, a record for middle school basketball in my time coaching at Wat. Picking just a player or two to receive our Coach's Award was not an easy decision, but two of our boys have worked hard for a few years and definitely are worthy of it. Paul and Javi did not let size or skill affect how they enjoyed the game of Basketball. They both put forth excellent effort during each practice and game they played in, both contributing important minutes in each of the team's wins this season. Paul took on the lead position of getting practices started and organizing team stretches and lay up drills before each game. Javi became one of our starting guards, scoring in every game he played in as well as dishing the ball to his teammates for numerous assists. We wish both Javi and Paul the best of luck going forward as the move into High School next year and look forward to watching their skills grow as they do.
MS BOYS BASKETBALL
McDonald Sportsmanship Award
DANIEL C. ’30
Season #2 of Daniel playing basketball here at Watkinson and Season #2 of Daniel winning our McDonald Sportsmanship Award! Daniel is the first person to help a teammate or opponent up off the court, even if it is himself that knocked said player down. He works hard every practice and always cheers on his teammates when on the bench or sideline. When asked to pick up waywards basketballs or practice pinnies, he is usually one of the few players that track them down and return them to their proper homes. Daniel clearly enjoys playing basketball and I look forward to watching next season if the then 8th grader will keep up his great sportsmanship and take a swing at the three-peat!
