Friday’s Varsity Girls' game was one for the books. Every quarter ended in a tie, keeping the intensity high and the crowd fully locked in. With just 11 seconds left, the team pulled ahead and secured a hard‑fought win thanks to calm execution and smart decision‑making under pressure.

The team showed exceptional control and confidence throughout the match. Pippa delivered an outstanding performance completely locked in and every player contributed to the victory. It was a complete team effort, and it showed.

Saturday brought new challenges. With two players out due to injuries from the previous night, the team had to dig deep. Despite being shorthanded, the group stayed composed, organized, and disciplined.

Shots didn’t fall the way they did on Friday, but the team’s resilience and effort never wavered. A major highlight came from Henrieta, who delivered a monster block that stunned not just the opponent, but the entire gym.  

On the JV Girls side, two very close games unfolded once again against American School of The Hague. The girls were very strong on the defensive end, splitting the games with a win and a loss.  Shout out to Sakura who played fantastic defense all weekend, but was on the receiving end of some very tight calls by the refs. A second shout out to Neve, who is finding some rhythm in the 5 spot after recent changes in the offense. And to Olive, who is cutting and seeing gaps really well in the front court.

This weekend saw two incredibly tight battles for the U14 A Girls against a strong ASH side. On Friday, we led at halftime but were edged out 28–30 after a dramatic final possession. Saturday followed a similar script - However, ASH built a 14-point lead, but the girls showed tremendous resilience to fight back and bring it within one, eventually falling just short 33–34 on the final play. Two tough losses, but full of positives. The effort, character, and togetherness shown across both games give us real confidence moving forward. 💙 🏀

For the U14 A Boys, a tough loss on Friday, after a good battle - certainly our best performance this season.  Alexander’s double-double was the standout as he is really growing into his role on the court.  Saturday was a very different game - we went down early and never got back into it.  Late on with David (14 pts) switching to the 2 we saw something new and exciting.

Another series of strong wins from the boys. The team continues to impress, even when we get off to a rocky start like we did in our game on Friday. Highlights were new addition Karan’s strong defensive play and fast breaks, excellent passing in the paint from Alfonso, and Einar’s strong finishing. We go to Frankfurt next weekend for big games against our big rival.

Girls Team mixed with the C Team on Friday afternoon, and then played St John's on Saturday morning. 

Coach McSwain on the JV Boys performance: "Friday’s game saw us down by double digits at half, we then tied the score in the 4th and ended up winning at the end by 2 pts.  The Paris team was intent on winning the game on Saturday. They even brought in a Varsity player who had us stunned in the beginning. They took off to a 16 pt lead till the half. We then decided to wake up with the help of Max’s drives and scoring along with Noam’s 3 pointers and steals. With strong defense from all we came back and took the lead with no looking back. At the end Paris was full of disbelief at the score with us winning by 16. Coming from behind has been  the formula of this season but that needs to change by the time the ISST’s start."

Coach Fischer in the post game presser: "The JV Girls are finding their rhythm at a good point in the season, with two solid wins at ASP. They are moving the ball very well and making good decisions in space. Solid defense and plenty of contributions on offense across the board. Big shout out to Alva for driving to the hoop and using nice moves inside for easy points. To Natalie for her sneaky pump fakes along the baseline, and to Julie for showing quick feet on defense and an ever present desire to shoot the ball."

Coach Rosky weighs in: "Our girls put in an impressive effort over the weekend showing determination.

Friday Night:
We came up just short in a close matchup, but the girls played with heart from start to finish. In front of a loud and energetic crowd, they battled through tough, physical defense on both sides of the court. Their hustle and composure were clear throughout the game.

Saturday:
The team came out strong again on Saturday, ready for another tough challenge. Anka stepped up taking on the assignment of containing one of the opposing team’s top scorers. Offensively, we’re continuing to grow working on moving the ball more effectively and creating opportunities inside, rather than relying solely on our outside shooting.

Overall, it was a weekend full of effort, growth. We’re proud of the progress and excited to keep building."

Our varsity boys traveled undermanned to face a physical and aggressive ASP team in Paris this weekend. Despite a slow start in Friday’s game, the team showed great character and intensity in the second half, especially in the third quarter, where we finally displayed what we’re capable of. Unfortunately, the reaction came a little too late to turn the game around.

On Saturday, the boys came out with much better energy and execution. The performance was a clear step forward from the day before, even if it wasn’t enough to secure the win.

We’re still looking forward to competing with a full and healthy roster of 12 players, and we remain confident that the hard work this group is putting in will pay off very soon.

Fabulous to see these boys on the court in their first game as a team and for some, their first ever game.  Great effort from all seven players, particularly in stopping the ball and rebounding.  Karan led the way 23pts, supported by Luca who had 12 rebounds.

Thanks to Max B. for coming to referee this game.

What a weekend! Two hard‑fought wins against The Hague, built on strong defense, relentless energy, and incredible team support from start to finish.

From the opening tip in both games, the team showed focus, purpose, and commitment, setting the tone early and refusing to let up.

A shoutout to Henrieta, who found her rhythm on the boards and made an impact with her rebounding presence. And hats off to Pippa and Venla, whose steady, composed play across both days helped anchor the team on both ends of the floor.

These victories weren’t just about skill, we were about toughness, teamwork, and heart. Great work, everyone. Momentum is building, let’s keep it going!

What a week! Records continue to tumble in the pool, pbs get broken, and the Varsity boys and girls demonstrate that they are a force to be reckoned with, even at half-strength. So far this year seven school records have been broken.

A great performance with a small team saw ISB finish fourth overall (women - third) at ASH. We faced some stiff competition from ASH, FIS, ASP, ISA, BSN, ISD, and ASL. BSN even turned up with their own Dutch record holder! But that was not enough to dampen the spirits of our Raiders. Once again  a testament, not to our stars but our overall team spirit and effort of those who give their best to pick up valuable points throughout the competition. 

Let's cut to the chase. Our Senior women (Elvie, Mirthe, Mila, and Julianna), in the pursuit of excellence and personal growth, decided to forgo points and to take the opportunity to attempt to break the school 4 x 50 Mixed Medley and Freestyle Relays records

The gamble paid off. Our ladies demolished last year's Medley school record by almost a second, and just missed the record in the 4 x 50 free relay. How good were they? Their times would have placed them third and  fourth respectively competing against teams with two boys and two girls.

Other stand out swims: Janto's 1.03. 100 fly; Dahlia's 31.18 50 free and 1.17.61 100m backstroke; Henry dropping almost two seconds on his 100 free; likewise Selma's 100 freestyle (almost 3 s improvement); Elvie's masterclass of negative pacing on the 100m back: 39-38; Mila and Una placing second and third in the 100m free; Mirthe's 100 breast which was just shy of Valentina's school record, with an equally impressive swim in the relay, helping the ladies on their way to that school record.

Placings:

First:

Janto 14+ 100m fly

Second:

MIrthe 14+ 100m Breaststroke; 14+ 50m freestyle; Mila 14+ 100m free; Dahlia 12-13 50m free; 

Janto: 14+ 100m fly

Third: 

Mila 14+ 100m fly; Una 14+ 100m free; Dahlia 12-13 100m back

Two tough defensive battles played out on the weekend with baskets hard to come by. Shout out to Maelle for putting up 10 points on Friday while Natalie followed with 8 points. Olive was finding some room in the paint all weekend and drained the winning shot on Saturday with 3.8 seconds left in the game! The girls played fantastic defense all weekend and the press continues to work in our favour, with steals abound. 

The JV Boys moved the ball well on Friday night, taking the first game of the weekend, 60 - 52. Saturday morning proved to be a tougher affair, coming up short, 51 - 32. We look forward to the rematches when we travel to ASH on February 27 + 28!

Improved performances as a team this weekend on the defensive end, but the Raiders struggled to break down a strong ASH defense. Max Ball and Patrick Jiang both had strong moments attacking the basket and shooting the ball for the team, and everyone responded effectively in the 2nd quarter on Saturday after a tough start to the game. Unfortunately, we couldn’t maintain that momentum into the second half. 

The Varsity Girls Rugby Team continued their inaugural season, joining the Varsity Boys as hosts on the upper field all day Saturday. 

Coach Keeley had the following to say: "This past weekend’s tournament was a great experience for both the boys & girls Rugby 7’s program. Both teams showed fantastic attitude, teamwork and clear improvement throughout the matches, representing the Raiders with pride on and off the field. It was especially positive to see the respect between teams and the great energy during the event. Moments like this are important not only for athletic development but also for building certain values that Rugby and the Raiders athletic program deliver."

"Congratulations to all the players for their performance and the effort they put on the field. Shout out to Alessandra, Sandra, Valentina and Captain Madeline who worked hard all day. For the boys some impressive running and decision making from JM and Wyatt with new player like JP and Mattia growing in every game."

The JV Girls had a fantastic weekend in Paris going undefeated in four games! Plenty of points off steals and a solid press all weekend kept the opposition under control. Shout outs to Natalie, Neve, and Iva hitting some clutch shots under pressure while strong ball handling from Sakura and Olive kept the pace car revved on offense.

The JV Boys won two of four games, beating Paris to start and finish the tournament. Games against ASL and FIS were both back and forth affairs, including a 31-30 heartbreaker against the Warriors. The boys finished in third and look forward to what will be a very competitive ISST tournament down the road. 

The U14 Girls hosted FIS, ASL, ASP, ASH, STJ, and ISD at the 2026 Raiders Invitational. Coach Omar Breaks Down the Weekend...

Strong Start: Both ISB Red and Blue won their opening games, showing solid defence and teamwork from the outset.

Resilience Under Pressure: Even against tough opponents like Paris and ASH, the girls competed hard and learned to manage nerves and physicality.

Quick Adaptation: B Team players Keala, Eirini, and Talya jumped straight into the A Team and adapted seamlessly to new teammates, systems, and higher-level competition.

Overcoming Challenges: Running with only 6–7 players due to injuries is tough, but the team hung in there and fought hard.

Big Picture: With ISB only fielding half a team each, imagine what could have been achieved with the full squad - a strong foundation for confidence and future success. Look out ISST!

Coach Rosky had this to say in the post weekend presser, of the Varsity Girls Performance: "Friday's Game was a thrilling Victory. Our team showed determination and resilience, securing a hard-fought win by just two points. It was an exciting, close game that demonstrated our players' ability to perform under pressure. Thanks to Venla, Gaelle, and Noa for the strong scoring. Although Saturday didn't bring us the same success, the game provided valuable learning opportunities. With only 9 players available, everyone earned significant playing time. The extended minutes gave coaches the opportunity to identify how each player can establish and grow into key roles on the team. Cemre showed she is afraid of nothing and took two charges. While Henrieta and Charly proved to be a force as a defensive team under the basket." 

Meanwhile, Coach Fiedorek broke down the Varsity Boys' Performance: "The boys played two strong games this weekend where they displayed significant improvement from the tournament in Antwerp. On Friday, we showed our capacity to shoot from beyond the 3 point Line while keeping our composure on defense. The loss on Friday did not stop our team to keep on fighting until the last minute. The outcome is not what we expected but I am proud of what we were able to accomplish. We keep working."

The JV Girls won a gritty game on Friday night and lost an equally feisty game on Saturday. Points in transition were tough to come by so the girls fought hard to find soft spots from which to shoot. Not the cleanest of games, but plenty of things to build on going into the holiday break. Shout outs to Natalie for some clutch baskets on Friday night and to Sakura for managing the clock well under pressure. Coach Fischer wasn't immediately available at press time. 

The JV Boys Basketball Team had an impressive display in Frankfurt, winning both of their games! It was back and forth action with plenty of physical play. Coach McSwain was not immediately available for comment, but a close source tells us he is proud of the work he is seeing and remains optimistic for the season ahead.

Coach Omar, U14 A Girls Head Coach: "A great insight for the girls to see what ISST opponents are going to be like! Friday brought an emotional, hard-fought battle, going back and forth, and ending in a tie. Due to time constraints, we couldn’t play overtime. The very next day, however, a completely different tactical approach paid off, with the Raiders securing the win. A fantastic confidence boost for the team as we head into the winter break!"

It was very busy in the press room all weekend, but we also caught up with Coach Peder who has this to say about the U14 B Boys performance against our neighbouring rivals: "Excellent cutting to the basket and strong defence against a much bigger team. We played Frankfurt to a nearly even result in the first half of our second game. Great play by Logan, Adam, and Minjun in particular. Already have seen lots of positive growth since our first tournament in Dusseldorf and I’m excited to see our team grow."

The Varsity Girls Rugby Team travelled to The Netherlands on the weekend and won their inaugural match against The British School of Brussels, 20 - 5! The Varsity Boys, meanwhile, beat BSB and ASL, 39 - 0 and 50 - 5 respectively! They also had a draw against the host school, The British School of The Netherlands. Great job, Raiders!

The JV Girls had a great first weekend with aggressive play and relentless pursuit of the basketball! Shout outs to Vala for her dives across the floor, to Maelle for her cartoon speed and recovery on D, and to Olive for showing poise bringing the ball up the floor. 

The JV Boys Basketball Team also had a successful weekend, beating St. John's, ASL, ISH, and BSB! They showed grit and tenacity in a close game against a strong London team. Nice job, boys!