The boys varsity basketball team lost 58-46 to the Newton North Tigers in the Schluntz Gymnasium on Friday, Jan. 3.

The Warriors initially won the tip-off, but the Tigers got themselves on the scoreboard first with a mid-range jumper. Defensively, the Warriors struggled to close down the Tigers’ jump shots from beyond the arc.

Early in the second quarter, senior and forward Alan Shi scored a lay-up while being double-teamed. However, the Warriors’ attack in the paint did not quite click; shooting contested shots, or allowing a turnover. At halftime, the Warriors were down 33-20.

Junior and forward Ramses Smith Jr. reflects on the first half, where the team struggled on both sides of the court.

“We just got in a slump, you know, we weren’t rebounding the basketball,” Smith Jr said. “We weren’t disciplined defensively, we kept getting beat, we weren’t communicating. It is just the basics.”

However, in the third quarter, the Warriors came out with energy. With a strong start, Smith Jr. got three baskets in under three minutes, forcing the Tigers to call a time-out. Towards the end of the third quarter, Shi pulled off a huge block against the Tigers’ guard, firing the crowd up. Still, the Warriors ended the quarter down 34-42.

Head coach Johnny Williams said that a quick pep talk paved the way for their comeback in the third quarter.

“I told the team that we have to do what we need to do,” Williams said. “We made the adjustment, with Alan and Ramses flashing, and we came out with a little bit more fire.”

Smith Jr. described that they focused on finishing lay-ups instead of jump shots to get the most out of their possessions.

“We had to attack the rim, we had to take advantage of our size,” Smith Jr. said. “We knew we could get by them, their defenders are not as disciplined as us, so we just got to get to them and be strong.”

The Warriors came out aggressive as ever in the fourth quarter, pushing for a comeback. Senior and guard Seth Thompson got a reverse lay-up to fall, and with seven minutes to go, sophomore and guard Caleb Haynes found himself open off Shi’s screen. Haynes scored the three-pointer and cut the Tigers lead down to three points.

Although the momentum was with the Warriors, they could not get the shot attempts in the paint to land. Haynes found the breakthrough as he quickly drove into the paint, hitting a lay-up whilst being fouled. Despite the Warriors’ hustle in the final minutes, the Tigers scored multiple three-pointers, and the Warriors lost 58-46.

Although the result was not what the Warriors wanted, both Smith Jr. and Williams said that the team will keep working hard to improve their results, for one goal.
“Win the State Championship,” Williams said. “That’s our only goal every year.”