After months of preparation, the varsity boys’ basketball team proved themselves with a victory of 50-18 against the Cedar Creek Eagles and 29-22 against the Lehman Lobos on Monday, Nov. 7. To obtain these results, a combination of key plays by Zach Shrull ‘19, Patrick Sladek ‘19, and Brandon Parks ‘20 was employed, along with an impressive performance of defense. Altogether, the Warriors feel hopeful for the season ahead but will work even harder to reach their optimistic ambitions.

Karthik Shetty ‘19: How did the team prepare for the scrimmage, and how will it continue to do so?

“To prepare for the scrimmage, we’ve been doing conditioning and skill work since school started and we will continue to do so,” Shetty said.

Shetty: To what extent will this game foreshadow the season? Do you think this will be a continual pattern throughout the season or will something change?

“I think this scrimmage anticipates our season very well,” Shetty said. “We came out hot against Cedar Creek and made sure to keep our foot on their throats and although we got down quick against Lehman, we kept our heads and railed back to beat them. As long as we keep the same energy and hustle, we will be able to achieve the same success throughout the season.”

Corey Levinson ‘19: To someone who didn’t see the game in person, how would you describe the key events and pivotal plays of the game?

“Right off the bat, our whole team came out with incredible intensity and fire. We started the game on a 30-8 run which really dismayed what kind of team we are capable of being,” Levinson said. “Just having this scrimmage was an exciting beginning to what could be a fun and terrific season.”

Levinson: Which players or plays were pivotal in the team’s success?

“Zach [Shrull] came out swinging; he ended with 12 points just in the first half,” Levinson said. “Also, Patrick [Sladek] and Brandon [Parks] really came up big getting to the bucket and sticking some good defense.”

Shrull: What are some plays that stood out to you in this game and where might they have come from?

“The beginning of the scrimmage, with great defensive possessions and towards the end when our offense started to improve, are plays that stood out to me,” Shrull said. “I think that we did a great job of capitalizing on plays where we had good opportunities to score.”

Shrull: From the scrimmage, what could the team take into account, for improvement in the season ahead?

“Our team played a great [defensive] game, but our offense lagged behind. We could improve on getting open shots and our aggressiveness,” Shrull said.

The Warriors will face off in their next game at Concordia University on Saturday, Nov. 10.