The Eleanor Roosevelt High School varsity girls basketball team is ready to start a new season, and the team has nothing but high expectations. The Lady Raiders are coming off another successful season, which they finished with an overall record of 25-3. They also went on to win the Maryland 4A state championship for the second year in a row by beating Paint Branch 72-40.

The Lady Raiders will have a different look going into this season as they lost 6 seniors from last year. They also will be without their former star player and leading scorer, Kaila Charles, who transferred to Riverdale Baptist High School in preparation for her college career at the University of Maryland. The team also lost starting center Jaala Henry, who transferred to National Christian Academy.

The team will look to several different talented players to fill the absence of the these departures. In regards to the transfer, junior guard Octavia Wilson said they were “key players, but we’re going to be alright.” With this positive attitude, Wilson is more than ready to take new strides this season. “Coming into the new season my mentality is very confident and strong,” she stated. The point guard also added that she wants to take on more of a main role in her 3rd year on varsity, saying she wants to “step up” as a leader.  

Wilson is not alone in her quest for continued success. Senior guard/forward, Jazmine Brunson is gunning to make a name for herself and the team too. “I’d like to make my name known since it is my last year of high school. There is no reason to hold back because every game is an opportunity to give 110% for my team.” Brunson said that “as a team, our goal is to go back to states and prove the doubters wrong.”

One thing is for sure with this year’s team: they are young, eager, and ready to continue the winning tradition that has been instilled by Roosevelt basketball the last few years. The Lady Raiders will begin the season against Colonial High School in a neutral tournament game.