With only 20 seconds left before the buzzer blared and rendered the basketball game over, the San Mateo campus gym fell into a tense, anticipatory silence. The scoreboard read 32–34; Nueva was two points down against Hillbrook Upper School. As the clock counted down, number 15, Camilla K. ’28, made a bounce pass to number 30, Julia R. ’26, near the baseline.
Julia pivoted, dribbled twice beneath the outstretched arm of a Hillbrook defender, and launched the ball high into the air. The ball arced behind the backboard, grazed the top edge, and dropped straight through the hoop, tying the game. The gymnasium erupted into astonished and triumphant shrieks.
The game went into a three-minute overtime, and the girls varsity basketball team ultimately won 39–37. Moments of last-minute triumph like this have come to define the season so far.
The team is currently riding a six-game win streak, including a recent decisive 53–19 victory over University Preparatory Academy, a school ranked 22nd in Central Coast Section Division 5, and they have already surpassed last season’s win total of five.
Captain Willa B. ’27 attributed this season’s standout success to improved team dynamics.
“I think being bonded on and off the court has brought the most success to our team this year,” said Willa, a third-year player who has grown into a leadership role she once found intimidating. “There’s a level of connection you get when playing with people on the team that you can’t really get anywhere else.”
That sense of connection has transformed how practices and games feel. Players describe listening to music during laughter-filled practices, along with constant encouragement and support.
“One of the things I love about our team is that our girls never yell at each other,” coach Gavin Bradley commented. “They make plenty of mistakes, but there’s instant forgiveness. They lift each other up, and that’s pretty organic to who they are.”
Bradley, now in his seventh year of coaching basketball at Nueva, described this season—his third year with the girls’ team—as one of his favorites in his nearly 30 years of coaching. After leading countless teams, the energy in this group stands out to him.
“There’s something about this group that’s been extra,” he said. “It’s a really fun, engaging, loving, supporting group of girls that only wants each other to succeed.”
Players point to individual student leadership as a major reason for the shift in team culture. This year’s captains, Julia, Willa, and Anjali M. ’27, have helped foster an environment where everyone feels supported and valued.
“Being a captain is really just communicating what the team wants out of the season,” Willa said, adding, “And making sure everyone is heard.”
One of the team’s star players, almost six-foot-tall senior Julia, is ranked second in the nation for rebounding, making an average of around 20 rebounds per game. On the court, the ball seems to gravitate towards her.
That leadership has been especially important given the team’s diverse set of experience levels. With both returning players and many new ones, the team has learned to rely on everyone’s different strengths.
That family dynamic becomes most evident under pressure. The team has adopted the motto “fourth quarter, best quarter,” emphasizing its ability to pull through close games with small margins.
“When pressure is on, we’re really good at locking in,” Mila W. ’27 said. “That motivation really helps us get there.”
Camilla, who is in her second year on the team, reiterated how much positivity has grown since last season.
“This year, the team dynamics—how everyone supports each other—make [playing together] so encouraging,” she said. “You’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m so excited to play the next game with these amazing girls.’”
Even losses are approached differently. Post-game reflections focus less on the final score and more on effort and how the team played together.
“A lot of the time, it’s less about the scoreboard and more about the adventure of the game,” Mila reflected.
Bradley also credits the team’s success to structural changes this season, including a more balanced schedule that helped build confidence early on. Instead of entering league play discouraged, the team came in energized.
So far, Nueva has won eight games and has eight more to go, aiming to reach the playoffs and secure double-digit wins by the end of the season.
Beyond the statistics, what defines this team is something harder to quantify: the laughter during practice, the pre-game meals, the tight huddles with arms wrapped around one another.
“There’s research that shows teams that are physically connected play better,” Bradley said. “When the girls really get tight in a huddle, we do seem to play better. It builds trust.”
