In 2017 HS Binational games TCS athletes Matias Velez, Sebastian Uribe, Felipe Santamaria and Pablo Monsalve made the big step and passed from being rookies to becoming the face to the team.

The transition from being a rookie to being a key part of the team is a big step most athletes have to take when they stop being rookies. Becoming champions is something a few teams are able to accomplish but in 2017 Binational Games TCS basketball team was able to accomplish the dream of getting first place.

“2017 basketball team is one of the best teams I´ve been in not only on the individual talent but on how we become a family in a really short time. This was one of the key parts a team needs to have to become champions.” said Pablo Florez, TCS 12th grader and basketball captain

Chemistry in teams is crucial for success as Michael Jordan said “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.”

“Last year I did not do anything, so it felt as if the team was under, or if we were losing I could not mount the team on my shoulder, since I was not the key player of the team, the one who was riding the team on the shoulder and could win the game. That was partly because I had friends who did not want the minors to excel, but according to them, only the big ones were the good ones. On the other hand, this year, being able to mount the team on one’s shoulder, in order to win the match when nobody was getting anything, was one of the best things that happened to me. The first games, all were very nervous, but I left with everything decided to win. That gave confidence to all until that they started to score,” said Matias Velez TCS tenth grader and basketball team point guard.

Becoming a crucial part of the team is something only a few players are able to accomplish and many players don’t know how they can help the team.

“Last year I was really discouraged because I didn’t have enough playing time and the older teammates didn’t pass me the ball so when I went to the US I felt that I needed to improve my game so I stayed after training improving my shot. I felt that these year I was an important player not only in scoring points but on setting screens, getting rebounds and assisting my teammates,” said Sebastian Uribe,  TCS 10th grader and basketball team center.

Knowing how to play as a team is something that many people don’t know how to do and it helps teams become better in the basketball team the teamwork has changes during the years.

“The last year I didn’t get many minutes and the minutes I played I didn’t help much since the older teammates passed the ball to me rarely. This year I was able to have a bigger role in the team because I got more minutes and my teammates passed me the ball much more than last year. I think I helped the team in the defensive and offensive part of the game since i score and help defend other players,” said Felipe Santamaria, TCS 10th grader and basketball team player.

Working hard is something many people are not willing to do but if you want to succeed in life you need to work hard.

“I wasn’t part of the team last year but I thought that if I started training again I will be in the starting lineup immediately but I realize that I wasn’t going to be in the starting lineup in the beginning because there were players that have been training in the last years while I wasn’t training so I had a goal, being on the starting five and to accomplish that I worked hard and train almost everyday. At the end I was able to accomplish my goal and become a key part on the team,” said Pablo Monsalve,  TCS 12th grader and  basketball team player.