Boys varsity basketball triumphs against Brockton 50-46
The Warriors beat out the Boxers this past Friday at 6:30 pm. The match was close, but the Warriors were able to win with solid defense.
After a close game, the boys varsity basketball team beat the Brockton Boxers 50-46 on Friday, Jan. 13, bringing their record to 4-4.
Junior and forward Chris Silice put the Warriors on the scoreboard after making a layup in the opening minutes. The Warriors added to this lead as a result of multiple Boxer turnovers, making the score 5-0.
With three minutes and 54 seconds remaining in the first quarter, Brockton scored their first point on a free throw. The Boxers closed out the quarter with a buzzer-beater shot, giving spirit to their fans and bringing the bench to their feet after a slow start.
The game was tied 19-19 with four minutes left in the second quarter after a Brockton player scored a series of points. The score ebbed and flowed throughout the second quarter, with the Boxers getting ahead for the first time in the game only to have Sillice quickly restore the Warriors’ lead.
Stepping on the court after halftime, Brockton expanded their lead to 34-29. The third quarter was unpredictable as the Warriors struggled to score consistently and had multiple offensive turnovers. Despite this, multiple rebounds and defensive play by sophomore and forward Alan Shi and Sillice kept Brookline in the game.
Head coach Johnny Williams said that solid defense was a very important piece of the Warriors’ game plan.
“I think it [the game] went well; I think we executed,” Williams said. “We stuck to the game plan of defense first.”
Sillice said that the team has been focusing on their defensive tactics during practice and that it paid off in this game.
“We’ve been focusing on boxing-out, rebounds and making sure we got on our assignments,” Sillice said.
Sensing a close battle, the crowd came to life in the third quarter with shouts of “I bel
ieve!” and “Defense!” In a lighthearted act of retaliation to the chants, a Brockton player blew the student section a kiss after making his free-throws.
The third quarter ended with a buzzer beater by senior and guard Jaylen Haynes. Although the Warriors remained behind, these two points gave them momentum going into the fourth quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Sillice brought the Warriors back into the lead with another four points, a part of his total of 24 during the game. The gym came alive as Brookline gained momentum and the Warriors soon led by six points, one of the largest leads of the game.
Williams said that the Warriors’ newfound energy and success in the fourth quarter was attributed to their defensive shift from zone marking to man-to-man.
“Defense wins games,” Williams said.
Sillice credited the liveliness of the closing minutes to the bench’s energy.
“I think the intensity changed,” Sillice said. “The bench was giving us a lot of intensity and we just locked in.”
Nevertheless, the score remained tight until the last seconds. With 25.3 seconds left in the game, a timeout was called and each team huddled to discuss their strategies in closing out the game.k
Trailing by four, the Boxers began to press the Warriors. However, with strong and effective defensive plays on the Warriors’ side, especially from players like senior and guard Khalid Purifoy, Brookline ended up victorious with a score of 50-46.
“At the end of the game, there was defensive play. Khalid dove on the loose ball on the ground and sealed the game,” Williams said.
Regardless of their performance tonight, Sillice said that he still believes there is room for growth.
“I think the game went well,” Sillice said. “However, I think we can always do better.”
