It is Huntley High School against Crystal Lake South with just a few moments
before the final buzzer. HHS is behind by three points and she has the ball. She hits the
three and the game goes into overtime. She looks out to see the excitement and happiness
in everyone’s faces then gathers with her team.

This was the best moment for the only senior on this year’s varsity girls’
basketball team, Haley Ream.

Tip Off
Ream began playing basketball at the mere age of seven to eight year old at the
park district because both of her parents played.
“They just three me in it and other sports to see what I liked,” said Ream.
Ever since she was little, she found a passion in just playing Basketball and kept
going and getting better at it.

First Quarter
At Heinman Middle School, Ream played on the A Team in seventh and eighth
grade. As she progressed, Ream made the absolute decision to play for Huntley High
School’s team, and it was not as easy as she thought.
“I was on the sophomore team my freshman year and that is hard to be switched
because you do not know anybody and it was a tougher level,” said Ream.
Despite the hardships of being a freshman on a sophomore team, Ream came out
with four new best friends which they call themselves the ‘Fab Five’. The biggest
transition for Ream was the switch going into the varsity team.

Second Quarter
Of course the varsity team is much rougher than the sophomore team, but “Raethz
pushed me so much more and [Ream] loved it,” said Ream.
Her training consists of: training with her Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team,
with her brother on the weekends, or after Track and Volleyball practice she would go
straight to the gym and work on Basketball.
“I would be always touching a basketball. Sometimes it gets hard with my job and
school but I always find time,” said Ream.
Playing Basketball was not always easy for Ream. Sprained ankles and games
losses always pushed her to train harder and become stronger.
“Everyone faces obstacles and I find that to make us stronger all together,” said
Ream.

Halftime
Being the only senior starter on the varsity team is bittersweet for Ream.
“It does not really bother me, I mean I love my team and I wish some of the other
seniors did start with me but it is what it is,” said Ream.
Team members like Amanda Kaniewski is the sixth girl in and gets a lot of
playing time, and to Ream, she would be a perfect starter for the team. The nice part is that Ream gets to play with all of her girls so she cannot complain at all.

Third Quarter
To her fellow teammates, Ream possesses every quality and outstanding
teammate needs.
“She is a great teammate to have out there because she is a good leader. She
knows how to encourage the team, and get our minds focused back on the game if we are
getting off track,” said Kaniewski.
Also according to teammate, senior Courtney Feltes, she is “really unselfish and
communicates really well with all the other players.”

Fourth Quarter
The precious experiences Ream shared with her teammates cannot be replaced
with anything else.
“Playing with her made my senior year ten times better,” said Kaniewski.
“I feel like as the years went on we have gotten a lot closer and she has become
my best friend,” said Feltes.

Final Buzzer
Fortunately, Ream’s basketball career does not stop in high school. She has been
undecided for now and is tied amongst Benedictine University, Cardinal Stritch
University, and University of Wisconsin-Platteville.
‘I have talked to all of the coaches; I am just undecided,” said Ream.
Ream has a deep passion for the game of basketball because it is a team sport and
it is invigorating for her. The dependence she has on others and not just herself brings her
closer to her teammates.
“In middle and high school, I met all my best friends through basketball and I
have had amazing coaches all the way up to now,” said Ream.