Sneakers squeak across the hardwood floor as players frantically rush for the ball. Swiftly, one player emerges from the pack, driving downhill and attacking the basket. The ball swishes through the net, and senior Nefeli Aga-Kitch scores again.

Aga-Kitch first picked up basketball in 4th grade, initially playing for fun at recess. Now, as a two-year varsity captain on the girls varsity basketball team (GVB), she is a leading scorer, Bay State Conference All Star and was recently named MVP of the Cambridge Legends Classic Tournament.

Associate Dean and head coach of GVB Kendell Jones first met Aga-Kitch in middle school. After attending clinics hosted by the high school’s team, Jones brought up a group of eighth graders, including Aga-Kitch, to play against the high school players. Jones said Aga-Kitch’s talent was evident from the start.

“She was in 8th grade, I was like, ‘She’s gonna be a good player.’ I can tell by the way she moved, the way the game was coming so easy for her,” Jones said.

While Aga-Kitch started playing for fun, she said basketball grew to be a meaningful passion of hers. She said she particularly enjoys how dynamic the game is and how there are various ways to succeed.

“Unlike other sports, there’s a lot more opportunities and aspects of the game. In soccer, you’re only going to see two, three goals every single game, but here you’re putting up 50 points a game, so there’s a lot of more excitement and lead changes and stuff like that,” Aga-Kitch said. “Also, with both defense and offense, there’s a lot of ways to improve your game if you’re not a great shooter; you can do well in a lot of other things like dribbling.”

Captain and senior Ivy Wheeler has been playing basketball with Aga-Kitch since they were 11. Wheeler said there are many reasons why she enjoys playing with Aga-Kitch, especially her positive energy and leadership.

“She does a really good job keeping me and the team positive. She’s always pushing people to work harder,” Wheeler said. “I’ve also played with her since middle school and our travel team, so it’s been really fun to see her evolve as a player.”

Similarly, junior Shiri Artzi said Aga-Kitch is vital to the team, consistently boosting morale and team spirit.

“I really appreciate her ability to lift everyone around her up, and her presence on the team is known and it’s fun to be around her,” Artzi said.

The team currently has 8 wins and 7 losses, notably with two tight victories over rival Newton North. According to Aga-Kitch, momentum for the team set in after winning the Cambridge Legends Classic Tournament where Aga-Kitch was glad to be recognized as MVP.

“A younger me definitely would have been proud because I feel like I have put in a lot of work to this sport, so just having some sort of recognition is nice,” Aga-Kitch said.

Outside of the high school winter season, Aga-Kitch remains dedicated to basketball, whether it be through playing on various club teams or in preseason practices with her teammates. Jones said her commitment is what makes her more than just a talented player, but a true fit to be a trusted leader.

“You can tell she has great leadership skills. When I talked about her being dedicated, you can see she pours her all into her teammates,” Jones said. “She’s always willing to listen, and she’s a great extension of the coaches.”

Despite her success on the court, Aga-Kitch said basketball has always been about more than playing time or recognition.

“I’ve been on several club teams where I’ve felt like the end-of-the-bench player, not really getting in the game. But if you continue to practice, you’re still doing what you love,” Aga-Kitch said. “I remember the 4th grade girl I was and how I was picking it up for fun.”