Starting freshman Raya Halonen, sprints down the court, dribbling the ball in her hand ready to make a game-changing basket.   

A freshman on varsity, Halonen has been invested in basketball for six years, establishing her love for the game at eight-years-old when she would play the game HORSE.  She and her younger brother took turns shooting the basketball in the hoop in different ways,which kicked off her inspiration for the future. 

The starting point guard and shooting guard wants to carry on her basketball journey into her college experience and career for as long as she can, Halonen says “I want to continue basketball for as long as I can.”

During the Dec. 6 game against San Dieguito, Halonen scored 17 points total with five 3-pointers and one 2-pointer.

Halonen appreciates being embraced by the team as a new freshman. 

“I feel like there is not a lot of drama, and everybody is very close, and it is a really fun group to be around and play with,” Halonen said.

  Halonen joined her freshman year and was quickly bumped to the top. “She is a very determined player though she just joined her freshman year and Halonen took up a starter role after the team lost a lot of key players. She is someone who will excel through her next years and I know she will be one of the best to ever do it,” senior Mya Mcgowan said.

The coaches helped Halonen improve by giving her a good experience. Coach Carissa Jones-Fletcher is impressed by Halonen’s work ethic and the season so far.

“The varsity level is intense, and to be a freshman playing against girls that are 17 and 18 years old can be scary, but she has taken on the challenge and is always looking to get better and make the team better,” Jones-Fletcher said. Halonen’s favorite basketball memory so far is winning  her last middle school season game.  At that time,  she also played soccer and ran cross country, but she decided after middle school to focus on basketball full time.