The Sierra Canyon High School varsity girls basketball team was ranked 22nd in the nation by ESPN and they looked every bit as impressive as they defeated the Spartans 87-37 in the opening game of the McDonald’s Classic, Dec. 2. 

“We were first intimidated,” senior guard Victoria Aguayo said. “We just played our game and played with our heart.”

Freshman Jordan Sapien was one of the players that stepped up, scoring a two-pointer and making a free throw in the third quarter bringing the score to 70-25. This being the biggest game of the year for the Spartans, Sapien took advantage of this opportunity.

“It’s really intense,” said Sapien. “It’ll just get more coaches to see me and hopefully I will perform at a higher level every time.”

The game offered students a unique opportunity to watch during 4th period with the purchase of a $2 ticket. Aimed at supporting the Spartans, the game’s theme was “Black Out the Blazers,” where students were encouraged to wear black and create an encouraging student section.  

“Our home crowd was amazing,” Aguayo said. “We love them and the support they give us. We wish they could come out every game like this.”

Coming off the game, the team’s main goals remain doing well at districts and getting further into the playoffs as they are ranked as one of the top teams in the city.

The Spartans went on to play at Eastlake High School where they finished the tournament 4th overall, Dec. 4. Senior Victoria Aguayo was recognized as part of the all-tournament team.