The boys varsity basketball team lost to the Newton North Tigers 55-41 at the Newton North High School Gymnasium on Tuesday, Jan. 9. The Warriors put up a strong fight throughout the game, but ultimately caved to the Tigers, bringing their record to 5-4 this season.
The Tigers won the tip-off and established a strong lead over the Warriors. In an effort to even the score, junior and shooting guard Seth Thompson scored a fadeaway basket, eliciting thunderous applause from the Warriors fans. The Warriors continued to fight to catch up to the Tigers until the end of the first quarter, attempting an unsuccessful halfcourt shot in the last couple seconds. The first quarter ended with the Tigers leading 19-11.
Head coach Johnny Williams said the Warriors game was hindered due to junior, point guard and small forward Alan Shi having to sit out for most of the first half after picking up two fouls.
“Our big guy had to sit out. He sat the whole second [quarter]. It’s hard to win when you don’t have Alan in the game,” Williams said.
The second quarter started off strong with senior and forward Chris Sillice blocking a shot and making a 3-pointer on the fast-break. The rest of the quarter was a struggle for the Warriors, as repeated turnovers favored the Tigers, allowing them to sustain a strong lead.
The third quarter began After an electric halftime performance from the Tigers Dance Team. The Tigers played well, but the Warriors rallied throughout the quarter. A series of fouls against the Warriors granted the team several free-throw opportunities, most of which were scored by Shi. The Warriors narrowed the point differential throughout the third quarter but couldn’t take the lead, ending the third quarter trailing 42-32.
In the fourth quarter, the Warriors fought hard to win the game, quickly narrowing the Tigers lead to just five points. However, the Tigers widened their lead again in the final minutes, with a final score of 55-41.
Freshman and point guard Caleb Haynes said he believed the team’s performance could have been better if the group had come into the game with a more positive outlook.
“We could have played much harder, could’ve played better defense [and] could’ve pushed the tempo more. But we came out lazy and with a bad attitude, and that set the mood for the game,” Haynes said.
Freshman and guard Cole Horowitz said the team is talented but requires a stronger mindset to win games.
“In the future, we have to play with more heart [and] more passion. I think once we get that down, we’ll be a very hard team to stop,” Horowitz said. “In the future, some goals: play with more heart, play with more passion [and] play as a warrior.”
