This season, the Brentwood Christian School Lady Bears basketball team finished 11-18, ending with a loss to Regents in the first round of the district tournament.

It was a big step forward for the program, which featured first-year head coach Ethan Grant and a junior varsity squad for the first time in nearly a decade at BCS.

The team will lose two seniors in Rachel Walker, as a player, and Hannah Hanrahan, as a manager.
“It will be difficult given Rachel and Hannah's leadership this season, but it gives our juniors an opportunity to step up and take ownership of their team while giving a path for our younger girls in years to come,” said assistant coach Ellie Ward.

Walker, who played at Brentwood since fifth grade, had over 100 rebounds and was a catalyst throughout the season. Hanrahan was one of the managers this year, and the hard work she put into the team and her dedication will be hard to replace.

The team environment, specifically, was a high point of the year for many players.

“I would describe our team this year as inviting, but also like a mix of so many different personalities,” said junior Anu Oguntade. “I feel everyone is very welcoming and I can have a full conversation with anyone on the team, and the people on the team have become some of my best friends.”

The season was not without its challenges.

Junior Ella Crouch suffered an ACL tear at the district matchup vs Hyde Park on Jan. 28, putting her on the sidelines for the last two games of the year.

But through the injuries and losses, the Lady Bears persevered.

One of their best games of the season was against San Antonio Christian at the Boerne Geneva tournament during Christmas break. The first time they played SACS in November, BCS lost 52-37, but this time around, the Lady Bears won, 40-36, displaying the type of growth that was a focus of the program all season.

“Our focus all season long has been rebuilding the foundation and leaving a legacy,” Grant said. “Between Rachel and Hannah and their character as seniors played out as an example and the way on the court we battled our tails off and competed this year, it’s encouraging to think about the future.”

Looking ahead to next year, opponents will be similar. The district will consist of only four teams, Hyde Park, Regents and Hill Country. The Lady Bears are looking forward to the challenge.

“I think our biggest key game was the first time against Regents,” said junior Ella Kennedy. “That was one of the games where we started to come together more as a team.”

At the conclusion of the season, Oguntade (first team, Most Improved Player) earned top billing amongst players in the district, while Crouch, freshman Reese Smith, Kennedy, sophomore Ari Rainelli, sophomore Kat Morgan and Walker all earned all-district honors.

The Lady Bears will continue to build during the offseason and will be coming back next year with a goal in mind.

“The goal is to take the next step,” Grant said. “We have an amazing group of young ladies and tons of opportunities in front of them…we’re excited to see how they work and what God does in their lives to continue to make basketball something He uses for His glory at BCS.”

*This article appeared in the March 2026 issue of The Bear Facts, Brentwood Christian School's quarterly high school newspaper.