Luisa Tava Looks to Make an Impact in her First Season at Menlo Atherton High School

January 19, 2024

By Dylan Tehada

The high school girls' basketball season is underway, and Menlo-Atherton high school is looking to repeat their success from last season when they finished undefeated in league. The Menlo-Atherton Bears will be leaning on sophomore guard Luisa Tava, a transfer student from Pinewood School, this season as they seek to win out in the Peninsula-South Conference and compete for a CCS Title. After an impressive 3-0 start to the regular season, Tava and the Bears will look to continue stacking wins and building team chemistry for a deep playoff run.

Tava has been hooping for as long as she can remember. She started playing competitively in third grade and played club ball for a variety of teams including Torch Basketball, Payes Place, Golden State Sting, and Fever. While playing club ball she traveled to different cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Diego for AAU tournaments. She attended Pinewood School for her freshman high school season and recently took her talents to Menlo-Atherton High School to play for the Bears in her sophomore year. Despite adjusting to a new coaching staff and a different playbook, Tava has embraced the transition to her new school and is looking to make an immediate impact as a starter for the Bears.

“I really get my teammates going and I'm always hyping them up. I take pride in my shooting skills and I can handle pressure as well,” Tava said.

Tava has been training at UPB for quite some time primarily with Coach Packie Turner, Coach Walter Lum, and Coach Danny LaFortune. In addition to building on her physical skills, she has embraced the mental side of the game as well and has focused on maintaining confidence especially under pressure.

“[Coach] Packie has definitely taught me a lot of things and he's helped me with my mental game and having more confidence on the court. He sees the game very well. The way he breaks down everything is really helpful and has helped with my transition from Pinewood to Menlo Atherton,” Tava said.

Transitioning to a new school is no easy adjustment and joining a brand new team presents challenges for any athlete. Tava has remained determined to elevate her game and continue chasing her passion for basketball. Her parents have supported her throughout her basketball journey and especially as she joins a new team. They admire their daughter’s resilience and work ethic and will always be her number one fan.

“We’re proud of [Luisa’s] resilience throughout this journey,” they said. “Even when things aren’t going her way, she still sticks through and shows great dedication and work ethic to better herself with this basketball journey.”

Tava has big goals that she seeks to accomplish in her basketball career. While her current focus is to build a winning culture at Menlo Atherton High School, she has long term aspirations of playing collegiate and professional ball as well. Tava embodies everything UPB stands for in terms of athletes realizing their unlimited potential, and we cannot wait to see what’s in store for her this season. She understands the importance of hard work and determination on both the physical and mental side of the game.

“[Success] is all about hard work and confidence. I feel that if you really enjoy playing the game, and you've worked hard at it and continue to get better, confidence comes with that and it helps you on the court as well,” Tava said.