TCS Middle School Girls Basketball team lost to Instituto Javiera Londoño 41-16 in the MS Copa Columbus final on March 11 in the High School Coliseum.

In order to reach the finals, the team had to play 3 matches defeating Marymount 26-6 and Teodoro Herzl 37-4 and losing once in the pool play against Javiera.

“Copa Columbus has always been a challenge to encourage players to do their best. I love the school having these courts available for all the games, and I feel very honored to be part of it,” Edwin Vásquez, Girls MS Basketball Coach, said.

Instituto Javiera Londoño dominated at both ends of the court with TCS unable to contain their potent offense. Despite the difference in the score, TCS had players that were demonstrating great levels of leadership with their skills and moral support for the rest of the team.

“Javiera Londoño’s team is the best in Antioquia so playing the first game and the finals demanded lots of skill and mental strength from our team because clearly, they have a higher level than ours,” Maria del Mar Aaron, TCS middle school, basketball player said.

The team trained three times a week for two months preparing for the tournament, their first in two years. On the first day of Copa, playing against Teodoro Hertzl and Marymount ended in a victory, but that same day TCS lost to Javiera londoño.

“I am very happy and mostly proud of my team, we have trained very hard for these matches. For me, being in the 1st or 4th place won’t make me happy or sad, what I care most about is for my team to make its best effort,” Vásquez said.

Middle schoolers believe Copa Columbus is an event to showcase each team’s skills, for students from different schools to unify, get to know each other, and create a supportive ambiance in every match.

“What I most like about Copa Columbus is the possibility of getting to know people from different schools, as well as watching the talent of every player formed in training and the presence of teamwork,” Aaron said.

Sara Galeano and Lucía Montorsi lead the TCS team with 12 points and several asists. Galeano was recognized by her team and spectators as the star of the game. Now that she was constantly motivating the team as well as scoring 10 points in favor.

“I believe that if our team focuses more on discipline in training sessions we could beat any team. That’s because we have the desire and the will,” Vásquez said.