On Tuesday, Feb. 5, the JV boys’ basketball team beat the Leander Lions 45-30. It was a tough game with lots of back and forth, but the Warriors were able to stay strong throughout and earn a decisive victory.

The game started slowly. There wasn’t much scoring or aggression as both teams got a feel for how the other played. The first three points of the game were easily won by the Warriors. However, the Lions soon caught up, maintaining a one point lead until the end of the first quarter.

“We corrected our mistakes from the last time we played Leander,” Lucian Tripon ‘21 said. “We played better together as a team, and the plays we made, we executed them better.”

After the break, they came back stronger. Justin Chen ‘20 proved to be a strong force, always passing to his teammates when the other team least expected it. Leander was very aggressive with the ball, doing whatever it took to keep control of it. Although the Lions may have had possession of it most of the time, Westwood was always able to get the ball and drive it down the court, scoring points with layups and three-pointers. Eric Kipper ‘21 consistently sunk his free throws, adding to the boys’ ever increasing lead. The second quarter ended with a score of 22-17 with the Warriors in the lead.

Determined not to let the home team win, the Lions began to play even harder than before. They started chanting to psych Westwood out, but the Warriors were unperturbed. They continued to communicate and boldly find innovative ways to get the ball and quickly past members of the other team. Highlights of this quarter included Glen Liu ‘21’s consistent free throws and how every member of the team drove the ball down the court once they were in possession of it and guarded the opposing teams players to the best of their ability. The Warrior’s lead increased to 10 points as they continued to play hard.

“We were efficient,” Tripon said. “Defense was much better and transitioning, like getting the ball down the court and making baskets was just easier.”

Throughout the third quarter, which ended 33-21 with the home team in the lead, the Warriors continued to pull ahead, rarely giving the Lion’s an opportunity to score. The ball was thrown in by Westwood, and remained in their hands for a while. The Lions were able to make a few layups and free throws, decreasing the other team’s large lead. Everyone continued to play hard, the coach eventually calling for a time out with only a few minutes left on the clock.

“Hearing that end buzzer go off and looking at each others faces, knowing that we beat this team, that was good,” Samer Salman ‘21 said. “This time we closed it out with a 15-point lead, and it felt good; we put more effort in this game.”

The game ended with a score of 45-30, the Warriors making a decisive comeback and finally subduing the Lions.

“The best part of the game was how we played as a team. It’s that Warrior spirit, that brotherhood,” Liu said. “We played as a team and had each others backs and won as a team- no individual player could do that.”

The JV boys’ next game is Friday, Feb. 8 at Stony Point High School against the Tigers.