The HSMSE Boys Varsity Basketball team won their division for the first time in 15 years. The team’s strong defense, experienced players, and improved ball movement led to a 13-1 record for the Dragons.
HSMSE’s returning players have developed their skills and gained experience, leading a more mature team on the court. The team’s growth led to them winning close games they lost in previous years.
The Dragons’ superior defense was the result of hard work and dedication. Turnovers and empty possessions were common for opposing teams who couldn’t handle their relentless pressure.
“The players love to play defense, to double team, get steals, and shut down their opponents,”coach Richard Epstein said. “That was inherent in their style of play. You can't teach that type of commitment.”
They focused a lot of their energy on gaining a defensive advantage. The team relied on their defensive prowess to stop opponents from scoring many points.
“We scouted teams more and we would shut down their best player and that became part of our identity,” junior Elijah Axt said. “We were a defensive team; we’d hold [the opponents] to 40 points, and we’d score 60.”
Junior Alex Guimaraes led the team with 16 rebounds per game. It was part of the team’s increased focus on rebounding, as their starters averaged 11 more rebounds per game than last season. The players were more equipped to collect the loose balls due to their better positioning and larger size.
“We all grew and got bigger and stronger and boxed out more and had a bigger commitment to rebounding,” Axt said. “This created many second chances for our offense while also limiting the opponents’ possession.”
Junior Tomer Oron led the team in scoring with over 22 points per game due to his multidimensional offensive style. Oron’s willingness to go right at defenders and score in the paint perfectly complimented his excellent shooting ability from beyond the arc. His aggressive drives to the basket forced defenders to back off giving him more wide open looks and enabling him to knock down more shots.
The team advanced to the third round of the playoffs before their season ended with a loss to the top seeded Uncommon Charter High School. The Sabers were already the favorites for the game, but once HSMSE’s star center Alex Guimaraes suffered an injury early in the game, the Dragons struggled to keep up and lost by a wide margin.
HSMSE looks to build on their success next season with most of their squad intact. Senior Jasper Saar is the only starter not returning to the team. Junior Justin Lin, this year’s sixth man, will be expected to join the starting lineup and make an impact. They’re excited to defend the division crown and prove this year wasn’t a fluke.
- Thomas O'Shea also contributed to this article.
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