Alexys Acosta has been playing basketball for as long as she can remember.
“I’ve been playing basketball since kindergarten,” she said. “Actually, my dad got me into it, and then I just played all the way throughout middle school and high school, and now I’m here.” Acosta is a major player for the Los Medanos College Mustangs women’s basketball team and has established herself as a standout due to her shooting abilities, determination, and perseverance.
Growing up, Acosta’s main motivation was her father, who played basketball his entire life.
“He played in high school. He played his whole life. When me and my sister were really little, he put us into travel leagues, CYO basketball, and stuff. And then when I was little, I always just wanted to be like my dad and have that connection with him. So basketball is our connection,” said Acosta
Acosta, while primarily a shooting guard, is a versatile player for the Mustangs.
“I’m kind of like a hybrid. I’m doing a mix of stuff, so I do point guard when it’s needed, but I’m mainly a shooting guard. And I like when I play shooting guard more because I’m a shooter. So, I like being able to shoot,” Acosta said.
She has spent years honing her talents on the court, and she can still clearly recall one of her favorite moments.
“My senior year, we had our senior night, and we played, I think, Pittsburg or Freedom [high school]. And we had a really good chemistry going on our high school team. And I had probably like seven threes that game. So that was fun,” Acosta said.
Acosta also has pre-game rituals she takes very seriously that get her ready to put on her best performance.
“I get myself up at a good time, eat a good breakfast, and then, usually, I lock in and listen to some music, do some stretching, prep my body a little bit with ice and stem in the training room. And then I usually take an energy gel. They get me through the game.”
As for her pre-game music: “I’m not gonna lie, Justin Bieber gets me through,” Acosta said.
During her junior year of high school, Acosta’s serious knee injury was one of her toughest obstacles as a player.
“My biggest challenge was probably my junior year when I broke my knee. So mentally, it was a lot, and then obviously, physically, it was a lot, and my body, like, did not want to play basketball again. So I think that trying to get myself back in a groove, and finding the passion and following through with, you know, like my desire to actually play.”
It can be difficult to juggle basketball, school, and personal life, but Acosta tackles it head-on.
“I mean, playing a sport and then, like, having personal, like, family stuff, while also trying to do homework is a lot,” Acosta said. “But I just allow myself time to, like, debrief after each thing that I complete and then prepare for the next thing I got to do.”
Beyond the court, one piece of advice a coach once told Acosta has stuck with her to this day.
“A coach told me during my AAU season that ‘us will get you yours,’ which essentially means just working as a team will get you what you need,” Acosta said.
Acosta keeps pushing herself to succeed because of her commitment, resilience, and love of basketball. She is committed to growing and seizing every chance, whether leading her team on the court or taking on new responsibilities.
