^{Women’s basketball seniors lined up with their posters. Credit: Aidan Bongiorno}

SUNY Old Westbury held its annual Senior Night for the Women Panthers basketball team on February 12 at the Clark Athletic Center. This was their final home game of the season against the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA). For six of these outstanding players, this game was their final time on the OW basketball court. They were honored before the game. 

The team has gone through ups and downs during the 2023-2024 season, with a final record of only 3 wins and 21 losses. Their Senior Night game got off to a strong start with Kasiobi Okenwa getting in some good defense against the Mariners. This allowed senior Allysha Thomas to go for the layup. By the end of the first quarter, the teams were tied with a score of 11-11. 

While the Panthers hoped they would come back strong in the second and third quarter, the Mariners found their stride and managed to take back their lead. Unfortunately, luck was not on the Panthers’ side on Senior Night and they were defeated by the Mariner’s with a final score of 30-45. 

While the Panthers didn’t win on their home court, everyone played very well. Senior Sierra Rowe looked back on how long she has played basketball and what encouraged her to play for Old Westbury, saying, “I’ve been playing basketball pretty much my whole life, and I know that after COVID, the women’s team took a big hit as far as the players. So I just decided to join because I had nothing else to lose.” Rowe reflected on one of her best moments on the court, which was her career high of 17 points against St. Joes, Long Island. “My main takeaway [during my time at OW], to put it into words, anything you put into it, there’s gonna be a positive result, as long as you practice, train, and give it 110%, it’s all gonna pay off,” Rowe said.   

Senior Allysha Thomas reflected on what it was like to be on the team: “My main takeaway would be to just play with the cards that you are dealt. I think about how I could’ve ended up at any of the schools in our conference, but I know for a fact I wouldn’t have enjoyed my time nor got the experience there like I have here.” Thomas first joined the Old Westbury team during the 2020-2021 season. However, it was cut short because of the COVID-19 pandemic. That didn’t stop her from continuing her athletic career. By the time things got back to normal, she continued to push hard both on and off the court. 

Senior Phalan Smith gave a look back on her time playing basketball and the influence of being a true team player. She recognized “the friends [she has] come to know along the way, how to be compassionate towards others, and being a role model for not only [her] school, but as a student athlete.” Smith’s time playing for Old Westbury has definitely been a memorable one, as she highlights some of her best moments on the court. “My all-time favorite memory was freshman year beating Mount Saint Mary for the championship and cutting their net,” she said. “My favorite memory as a senior was scoring thirty points in a game for a new career high.” Smith’s time playing basketball for the Panthers has been nothing but a memorable one. 

Being a student athlete can be a struggle, but there is always a chance to come back strong. Senior Kasiobi Okenwa has learned to push herself during her three years playing for OW. “I can safely say that over the years, my game has improved and even though we have struggled, our team has proven that we can fight back and compete against anyone in our conference and I’m glad that I can take these lessons with me.” Staying confident is a strong point and Okenwa has truly learned the meaning of teamwork. 

Senior Tamyia Jordan looks back on what got her into playing basketball. “I wanted to play basketball at Old Westbury because I thought it would give me more opportunities than I had when I was playing in high school, and it did,” Jordan said. “I also used it as a distraction from my anxiety and issues outside of school and basketball.” Joining the team also helped her improve socially, since she describes herself as introverted. Jordan learned patience through her time on the team. “I didn’t always start in a game, but when I did, I took advantage of it and was also given more playing time as well,” she said. “Playing on this team also helped me grow as a person’s personality-wise. I learned to just stay positive and not give up on myself, no matter what.”

These seniors have truly given it their absolute best during the last three years, starting off slow and coming out stronger than ever. The SUNY Old Westbury Athletics Department and the entire Women’s basketball team congratulated their senior players for their contribution to the team and wished them all the best of luck in the future.

The Panthers lost their final game on Saturday, February 17, against College of Mount Saint Vincent with a score of 32-81.