Boys Basketball Proves Themselves Against a Top Team
The Nueva Varsity Boys Basketball team has had themselves a monstrous season. Entering Tuesday night, Nueva had a 9-1 record in their league, and possessed firm control of second place.
However, the upcoming game against Alma Heights Christian School was seen by members of the team as the most important of the regular season; Alma was the number one team in the league and the claimant of Nueva’s sole previous league loss, a 69-53 blowout.
The game’s importance was only heightened as it would be the final home game for the seniors of the team: Matt S., Jake M., Jonathan T., Henry P., and Cole B.
What followed was easily the game of the season;
the confluence of massive fan support and a burgeoning rivalry between the two schools made for a passionate atmosphere and an entertaining game.
Despite Alma’s reputation as the dominant team in the league, for much of the game Nueva seemed the more polished group. Nueva moved the ball well, scored often with fast breaks, and stole the ball with a disciplined defense. Yet Alma always remained within striking distance, relying on their strong three point shots.
In conjunction with the fierce battle that occurred on the basketball court itself, the two schools also fought for control of the gym. Alma brought their cheerleading team and Nueva students cheered back with the most school spirit Nueva athletics has ever seen.
You can complain about the ref all you want but at the end of the day you can’t throw the ball away and expect to win.
Unfortunately, Nueva’s lead evaporated in the fourth quarter as Alma surged back after a number of long jump shots. Members of the audience complained about numerous questionable calls by the referees, and it seemed the tide had turned against Nueva.
Eleventh grader Ethan D. expressed his thoughts on the eventual defeat: “You can complain about the ref all you want but at the end of the day you can’t throw the ball away and expect to win.”
espite the defeat, Ethan’s comments provide plenty of hope for fans of the Nueva basketball team. It’s not as if Nueva played a perfect game and still lost; fixable mistakes separate Nueva from the league’s best.
A 62-60 defeat to Alma should not discourage the team, but empower them, and the improvement from the previous loss against Alma cannot be understated. Entering CCS, Nueva has proven itself to be a legitimate contender, and its trajectory of improvement bodes well for a successful playoff season.
