Glen Rice: The NBA Star's Fall From Grace In New York

Glen Rice / Wikimedia Commons

The New York Knicks brought in Glen Rice during the 2000-2001 season as he looked like a very promising player, however he was not able to perform well for the team. Rice was not able to fit in well with the Knicks and was traded to the Houston Rockets in 2001.

Rice was an NBA All-Star from 1996-1998 and was able to win the NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000. The Knicks expected a lot from Rice; however while with the Knicks he was benched a lot, only averaging 12 points per game. He was not able to perform well, as he had a foot injury (plantar fasciitis), and did not find his place alongside Allan Houston and Latrell Sprewell. 

“The best players will play,” Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy said in July 2001 to the New York Post.

In the beginning of the 2000-2001 season, the Knicks were able to start off with a successful pre-season; however, for Rice it was a different story. Rice was a very good player, but he was not able to find his rhythm throughout his time with the Knicks. He never embraced the role of sixth man, as he felt he deserved more playing time.

''I said this many times; it did work, all the way to the fifth game, like everything else on our team,'' Van Gundy said to the New York Times. ''The unfortunate part is you make a trade and somebody goes to the bench and you expect them to get starter's numbers playing bench minutes. Glen Rice was a very, very good player -- he was when he came here, he leaves a very good player and he'll go somewhere that's more to his liking, where he'll be a starter. Obviously, if that was such a big problem, getting all three guys minutes, we wouldn't have traded for another guy on the perimeter.''

Things got worse for Rice as during the last three months of the season Rice was not able to practice because of his foot injury. Rice was not able to perform during the 2000-2001 NBA season. He was not able to fit in with the team and ended up averaging a career low of 12 points with the Knicks. The New York Knicks traded Rice in a three-way trade along with the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets. This ended his disappointing career in New York.

From Ball to Faith: Andrew Lang’s Road to Chaplaincy

Andrew Lang’s unique transformation from a seasoned professional NBA player to a chaplain was an unexpected one. He was known as a skilled shotblocker, averaging 1.5 blocks per game during his 12 year NBA career. Lang played center for several teams, including the Phoenix Suns and Atlanta Hawks, before finishing his career with the New York Knicks. Lang’s end in the NBA brought him closer to his faith, leading him to pursue a new career as a chaplain.

Andrew Lang Basketball card for the Atlanta Hawks (Topps)

The Knicks acquired free agent Lang in an attempt to strengthen the team’s frontlines in the 1999-2000 season without injured center Patrick Ewing. This came as a shocking revelation to Knicks fans, as Lang previously collided with Ewing in 1997, causing Ewing to suffer a dislocated bone as well as several torn ligaments in the right wrist. By 1999, the Knicks looked to Lang to fill the gap Ewing left, who had sustained an achilles injury.

“We have added another legitimate low-post player to our roster with the signing of Andrew Lang,'' General Manager Scott Layden said to the New York Times in 1999. ''His presence solidifies our frontcourt for the start of the season.”

Nonetheless, after playing only 19 games, Lang retired after the season. He chose to completely change professions and play a deeper part in Christianity as an evangelist. It was following a service that took place before a basketball game in which Lang found his true passion for chaplaincy.

“As a player, I always attended chapel services. Then, after I obtained my ministerial license, I was invited to speak at a chapel before a game. I began to really enjoy doing it because it kept me close to the game, which I really love,” Lang said in an interview with the Atlanta Hawks in 2005.

The Hawks offered Lang a position as team chaplain in 2003. Through his work, he was able to maintain a strong connection to basketball, but in a different form. Lang related to the players’ struggles by helping them feel more comfortable with sharing their own experiences. Lang’s own encounters also allowed him to better guide and encourage current players.

As a chaplain, Lang now holds chapel service before every home game. Players are given the opportunity to pray and talk about problems. Since the NBA is such a serious business, players can put their trust in people like Lang for guidance. Through his job, Lang is able to provide counsel for those struggling to cope with being in such public positions, helping many to stay positive both mentally and physically.

The HSMSE Girls Basketball Team Overcomes Injuries In A Historic Season

The HSMSE Girls basketball team made it to the first round of the 2020 PSAL “B” Division Playoffs after finishing second place in their division. The Dragons maintained a 9-3 record, all while losing two valuable players during the season.

The Dragons were a resilient team, so giving up was not an option. Losing players due to injury did not demoralize the team, in fact, it boosted team morale. They had to play harder in support of their sidelined teammates.

“It gave everyone an opportunity to step up and support their teammates,” coach David Scheiman said.

Before a pre-season scrimmage, starting center Nicole Ogen broke a finger during warm-ups. The Dragons lost another starter midway through the season when shooting guard Barbara Ceci broke her ankle during the first quarter of a league game. Less experienced players stepped up and helped the Dragons take victory.

“[The injuries] makes everyone work harder because everyone wants to come through for that person and win,” junior point guard Agnes Heffner said.

Following the injuries, sophomores Sandy Liang and Taylor Jeffrey filled starting positions, while freshmen Sherry Li and Lily Yan earned more playing time. The Dragons’ ability to deal with adversity sets them up for a strong upcoming season, as their younger players gained valuable experience that will help the team in the future.

- Siddhaarta Venkatesh also contributed to this story.

Freshmen taking big steps towards a role on the HSMSE basketball team

This season the freshman boys’ basketball players at the High School for Math Science and Engineering have made contributions across the board to a rebuilding basketball team that lost eight seniors. The team has relied upon its younger players for support because of the gaps left at the shooting guard and small forward positions by the graduated players.

Freshmen Jasper Saar and Adrian Wu have been sharing minutes at the shooting guard position, as well as freshman Yahmani Price , who has seen minutes at the small forward position. Price has also made valuable contributions as a rebounder and a scorer. Saar plays well as a ball handler and as a defender. Wu is a sharpshooter who is also a plus defender.

The Dragons went from a 6-10 record in 2015-16 to an 8-6 record this season. This improvement comes after a loss of seven players, three of whom were starting players last year. Their defensive contributions and the ball handling skills of all three players have been valuable assets to the team.

The freshmen have helped to push the offense, especially Price. His playmaking ability is advanced for a ninth grader.

“I’m a good passer and I have [court] vision,” Price said.

Yahmani Price  / Tom Henning 

This ability is not just an unbacked claim, as he averaged three assists per game which is second only to Jonathan Katzman on the team, who leads the division in that category.

The future looks bright for HSMSE basketball if these freshman continue to develop and get playing time.  They show an ability to handle the ball and shoot. If the team can fill the rebounding loss from their departing front court, HSMSE boys basketball will have an opportunity to play post-season basketball once again.

Authored by Charles Dicus and Gabriel Cuilan

Nathan Cates: Passion personified

Clank! The ball bounces off the rim and into the big man’s hands. He rises up strong and finishes with contact. The player screams “AND 1!” with ferocity as the crowd cheers him on. This sequence has been a normality in senior Nathan Cates’ high school career, as he’s remained an integral part of the HSMSE boys basketball varsity team.

Cates, who has played three out of the four years, wasn’t always the most dedicated and focused player. During his freshman year, Cates struggled to maintain composure on and off the court and as a result of that, only played in four games his rookie season.

“When you’re younger, you can be hot-headed,” Cates said. “As a captain, you have to keep your head cool.”

Nathan Cates / Tom Henning

Referring to an incident earlier in his career in which he got benched for a scuffle with an opposing player after a foul, Cates said he matured over time. This year he has yet to receive a technical foul and has used his experience to instruct the underclassmen.

“Throughout the years I’ve had a change of attitude,” Cates said. “As I became an upperclassman, I was able to improve through practice and learning from those before me.”

As his focus improved on the court, so did his focus off the court. The only year Cates was not able to participate in varsity sports was his sophomore year of high school, in which subpar grades limited him from playing on the team. Motivated to get back on the team, he began to work harder in school, stating that the desire to play basketball has helped him with his academic responsibilities.

“When I’m doing my classwork I know that it’s necessary to play the game I love,” he said. “It pays off. I used to have academic issues, but it’s not worth missing basketball season.”

The maturing process he has gone through has physically and mentally changed Cates. Averaging a career high 10.7 ppg to go along with 14.7 rpg, his rebounding and his post play has been vital to the Dragons playoff push.

“Rebounding is the beginning of offense,” Cates states. “Every rebound is the start of a new possession. That’s how I get most of my points. Nothing’s better than rebounding.”

Now, as the team gets ready for its first playoff game in five years, Nathan Cates has sustained confidence in himself and his teammates. He believes a title, which would be the first in HSMSE basketball history, is not out of the question.

“We have a great team,” he said. “We have a lot of chemistry. I think we can beat any team.”

Authored by Arik Armstead, Bruce Mayfield

HSMSE Boys' Basketball makes a great leap forward during the 2015-16 season

The HSMSE boys’ basketball team made a tremendous rise during the 2015-16 campaign from last season by way of the Dragons core players developing from overwhelmed underclassmen to effective leaders. Their impact on the team came from taking responsibilities which they did not have prior to this year.

“It was a big adjustment not only from freshman year to senior year, but from every season in between," senior Yonatan Pechter said. "Each year I was given more responsibility.”

The Dragons held a lowly 2-12 record during the 2014-2015 season; however, this season they climbed to 6-10. This improvement came at the hands of the juniors and seniors who made adjustments to their game this season. Players such as Pechter and Lucian Ramnarase made the necessary changes in their game to help the team to more wins than has been seen in the past several years by the Dragons.

HSMSE Boys' Basketball Team / T. Henning

"Maturing seniors [and] developing underclassmen made for interesting possibilities," coach Richard Epstein said.

Ramnarase took the role of the defensive stopper for the Dragons. He greatly increased his offensive and defensive output, averaging six points and six rebounds per game. Prior to this season, Ramnarase received playing time almost exclusively as a defender. This season, not only has he occasionally lead the team in scoring, he has been a locker room leader.

"Lucian [Ramnarase] refused to accept losing, and right from the start, his attitude and effort became contageous," Epstein said. "Once we began to believe we could win, we started winning."

Pechter increased his scoring, taking a larger role within the team’s offensive scheme. He often shot the three ball when the team needed them most. This is a great change from his freshman year.

“My freshman year this team was the first organized basketball I ever played," Petcher said. "I didn’t know how to compete on a competitive team.”

With a mature core of players, Epstein was able to scout and prepare game plans against opponents and have the team execute them. The team's maturation and a hard working culture led to the great improvement in their play.

"We had a group of mature experienced seniors and some very productive underclassmen who learned a lot from the seniors, and developed great work habits, skills, and success," Epstein said.

Author Todd Spehr gives insight into Drazen Petrovic's career

Todd Spehr is an Australian author who self published “Drazen: The Remarkable Life and Legacy of the Mozart of Basketball,” in 2015 on deceased former New Jersey Nets guard Drazen Petrovic. Spehr follows Petrovic’s life from childhood, up until his untimely death in a car crash on June 7, 1993. Spehr heard about Petrovic from a scout in Oklahoma City, prompting him to look further into Petrovic’s life.

“I wanted to understand why Europeans were thought of in a certain way and how Drazen sought to change that,” Spehr said in an April 2015 interview with the HSMSE Sports Journalism class.

Zoran Citra, a former teammate of Petrovic, wrote an article about the book Spehr was in the process of constructing. The Petrovic Museum, run by the family, noticed the story. The family hurried to support Spehr in his research. The superstar’s life lacked coverage, leaving many basketball fans unaware of his story.

“They appreciate that I am trying to relay what Drazen’s life was about,” he said.

Petrovic’s mother, Biserka, made sure to provide Spehr with as much information as possible about her son’s life growing up and their reaction to his tragic end. The family wants to translate the book so even Croatians can better understand Petrovic’s legacy.

“His mother does not speak any English, but she wrote me two separate letters that were translated,” he said. “Both of them were 8-10 pages; one was about his childhood, and the other was about how they dealt with life after he was killed. It was just unbelievable.”

Petrovic developed a close relationship with New Jersey fans in only two seasons with the Nets. His energy and flashy plays electrified the Izod Center. The shocking news of Petrovic’s death devastated the Nets organization, as well as the family and friends of the Croatian star.

“[Coach] Chuck [Daly] wanted to resign based on Drazen’s death, it shook him up pretty bad. He stayed an extra year, but after that he left, [Derrick] Coleman and [Kenny] Anderson went downhill,” Spehr said. “Even [with] the Croatian national team, same thing happened. They never placed better than third in another tournament.”

Even with his short time with the Nets, Petrovic is remembered well more than 20 years after his passing. Whether it is his number three hanging from the rafters in Brooklyn, or his museum in Croatia, basketball fans are reminded of Petrovic's all too short legacy worldwide.

Contributions by Junior Flores, and Velid Mulic

Technological development in sports

In sports there is always room for improvement. A lot of that improvement is from the skill of the athletes, but a major factor contributing to the advancement of sports is the advancement of technology. Although many technological developments have contributed to sports throughout the years, the two most significant were the progression of football helmets and the evolution of basketball shoes.

Throughout the history of football, there has undoubtedly been vast amounts of research and development regarding helmets. Since the 1930s when the first plastic helmet was developed, helmets have provided a physical shell to protect the player from taking the brunt of a hit. The question remains, how effective are helmets at protecting players from head injuries?

Helmets don’t soften the hit and they don’t make the wearer’s head stronger. The reason that helmets reduce the risk of injury is because they increase the amount of time that it takes for the force to transfer from one player to another. Since the impulse (or change in momentum) stays the same, the increase of time reduces the force that is transferred to the head.

In order to determine the effectiveness of modern helmets, one must understand that there are two major types of head injuries: skull fractures and concussions. As helmets have evolved, there is no doubt that they better protect against hard impacts that would cause something like a skull fracture. Brain damage, on the other hand, occurs because of rapid movements of the brain inside the head. Since helmets do not actually hold the brain in place, they are only minimally effective in protecting against brain damage.

A study was conducted by researchers from Cleveland Clinic's Spine Research Laboratory and Case Western Reserve University to compare the protection leather and plastic helmets have against concussions. The researchers tested different types of hits on the helmets and found that the modern helmets did not perform as they expected.

“To the researchers surprise, the old and new helmets performed equally in the tests,” Susan Perry said in a 2011 MinnPost article about the study. “In fact, for many of the impacts — particularly frontal hits — the leather helmets performed better.”

The researchers at CCSRL and CWRU also found that even the helmets that performed the best in the tests only reduced the risk of brain damage by 20-30%. In another study done, a researcher at Virginia Tech, Stefan Duma, found that some of the most popular helmets, including the Riddell VSR4 and the Adams A2000 Pro Elite, had marginal to no protection against concussions.

Most modern helmets do provide protection against all types of head injury, and wearing a helmet is definitely recommended when playing football. The technology is available to make helmets more effective. Combining the aspects of leather helmets that outperformed plastic helmets is just one improvement that could be made. While the development of helmets continues to make football safer, basketball shoes are the most important aspect of the safety of basketball players.

Basketball sneakers are highly coveted across the globe, sought after not only for their trendy designs, but the prevention from injury that they provide. In 1917, the first basketball shoe was made by Converse, the All-Star. The All-Star was made up of just a rubber sole and a canvas top. For the next four decades, they were the shoe of choice among basketball players everywhere.

Nike Air Jordan 1 / Kevin from Yardley, Pennsylvania

Then in the 1970s the shoes basketball players preferred started to change. This happened because shoes such as the Nike Blazer started using innovative leather materials. This made players choose the Blazers over the Converse shoes because the shoes made of leather provided more ankle support. Several years later Nike produced the Air Force one which had Nike Air technology.

Nike Air is the technology that brought a new era of shoes to basketball. Nike Air was compressed air that nike would put in the soles of their shoes. The system improved shock absorption and cushioning, and this helps take stress off muscles and tendons when running. This technology was first used in the Air Force ones in the early 1980s and then shortly after that the Air Jordan 1.

 The injury prevention that Nike Air provides is just one of the reasons why basketball sneakers are coveted around the world. The continuing development of shoes, like Nike Air, and football helmets such as the Riddell 360, are just some of the advancements in sports technology. These advancements make sports more competitive and safer for future players.

NCAA walk-on players vs. scholarship players

NCAA walk-on and scholarship players have a rigorous training schedule. They both work virtually all day and are limited in the free time that they have. Even so, there is a major discrepancy in their college careers. Walk-on players have less playing time and don’t always travel with the scholarship players. Walk-on players are players that are skilled enough to make a team without being recruited; however, in order to get the same recognition, walk-on players must work harder every chance they get.

Both walk-on and scholarship players have a very similar routine. They attend classes in the morning, practices, and team meetings. One of the differences is that the players usually don’t play together. Walk-ons in Division I rarely have a chance to travel to away games in sports such as football and basketball.

Those guys would do everything we did, then have to go home to eat instead of eating w/the team. It was a joke
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) April 15, 2014

The NCAA has made minor changes to the rights of walk-on players. As of April 24, 2014, the Division I Board of Directors granted Division I walk-on players unlimited meals and snacks, finally allowing the walk-ons to have access to the same meals as the rest of the team.

“Today we took action to provide meals for student athletes incidental to participation,” Councilor chair Mary Mulvenna said in a 2014 NCAA.org article. “I think the end result is right where it needs to be.”

Although walk-on players have been granted more rights over time, scholarship players are still treated superiorly. Walk-on players having free meals granted to them solves a very small portion of the inequality between them and scholarship players.

Oregon Ducks Stadium / Bobak Ha'Eri

The biggest difference between the two is that scholarship players are paid to play, whereas walk-on players pay to play.

"You have to consistently stand out on film," Oregon Ducks football player Ryan DePalo explained in a 2013 AddictedToQuack.com article. “They [the coaches] have nothing invested in you, whereas they have $100,000 invested in the scholarship player. If you don't consistently stand out, you will be forgotten.”

The differences between walk-on and scholarship players are undeniable. Walk-ons have fewer rights and fewer opportunity, especially in Division I. Walk-ons have to pay their way through college, only to be overlooked. With scholarship players rallying to unionize, walk-ons are once again being left out to dry.

Written by Asimina Hamakiotes and Gregory Sakas

Tim Hardaway Jr. the new face on the Knicks

Tim Hardaway Jr. (5) playing defense /
Matthew D. Britt-flickr.com

Tim Hardaway Jr., a rookie shooting guard for the New York Knicks, was the 24th overall pick in the 2013-2014 NBA Draft. The Knicks were searching for a reliable scorer and felt that Hardaway Jr. could fill that position. After playing on the Knicks for a little more than half of the 2013-2014 season, he has shown that he can be a great offensive player and potentially be an All-Star.

Hardaway Jr. is an efficient scorer, and taking a look at his college stats when he played on the Michigan Wolverines, he averaged 14.3 points per game with a 50% two-point field goal rate. He gives the Knicks another scorer besides Carmelo Anthony, especially since the Knicks were plagued by injuries to Amare Stoudemire and Andrea Bargnani for a good portion of the year.

Hardaway Jr. started the season slowly, but improved quickly. After the All-Star break, Hardaway Jr. averaged more than 10 ppg. He is becoming more comfortable with his position on the team and is taking more shots. His improvement over the course of the year has placed him among the top performing rookies this season.

Analyst Andy Bailey from Bleacher Report speculates that Tim Hardaway Jr. is a better shooting guard than J. R. Smith. He can score more efficiently than Smith, which furthers his case for increased minutes.

“He [Tim Hardaway Jr.] should be playing the more efficient 2 [Shooting Guard]”, Bailey said in a 2014 article from Bleacher Report.

Typical of a rookie, Hardaway Jr's season has been plagued by inconsistency. On the days where he did not score over 10 points, he is shooting close to 35%. It also seems like he finds it hard to contribute to anything else besides scoring. He averages only 1.6 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game. He is going to need to work on his other offensive and defensive abilities for the next season if he wants to have a greater impact on the team.

“Tim isn’t your ordinary rookie. He’s a bit ahead of the game,” Mike Woodson said in a 2014 article from Metro.us. “Once he gets stronger, he’ll be even better on defense.”

Fortunately Hardaway Jr. has many years to work on his game. Hopefully, the Knicks will make the playoffs this season and have a good run with Hardaway Jr. getting some playoff experience to top off the end an encouraging rookie season.

Nate Robinson filling the gap

Nate Robinson / Flickr - Shinya

Nate Robinson was picked up on February 4, 2013 from the Golden State Warriors as a backup for the Chicago Bulls  superstar Derrick Rose. Robinson has provided the Bulls the surge they have needed to contend with the top teams in the Eastern Conference.

Robinson saw as few as 16 minutes in the first three games in their playoff series against the Nets, leaving most of the work to Kirk Hinrich.An opportunity for Robinson to play occurred when Hinrich injured his calf in Game 3.

In Game 4, Robinson led the team with 34 points in just 28 minutes, 23 of them coming in the 4th quarter. “Just let the ball find me.” Robinson told Coach Tom Thibodeau in a NY Times article. His critical scoring in the fourth quarter helped secure a triple OT win.

Due to Hinrich’s calf injury, Robinson saw 35+ minutes a game in the playoffs, giving him more of an opportunity to shine. His scoring in the last few games leading up to their victory over the Nets wasn't as spectacular as his performance in Game 4. His consistent scoring was much needed at the guard spot to fill the hole left by the absence of Rose and Hinrich.

Robinson will have to show more of his tenacity in their next series, producing opportunities for his teammates if the Bulls hope to defeat the seemingly unstoppable number one seeded Miami Heat.

Kobe Bryant clouds the Lakers’ chances in the playoffs

Kobe Bryant / Jenson Chan - Flickr

Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant tore his Achilles tendon on April 13 and is expected to be sidelined for nine months. Due to his absence, the Lakers lost in the first round of the playoffs after they were swept by the San Antonio Spurs.

Bryant made a tremendous contribution to the Lakers during the regular season. He led his team by scoring 27.3 points per game and adding 6.0 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game. His great offensive skills led him to become the fourth leading scorer of all time in the NBA this season.

Not only did Bryant provide his team with valuable scoring, he also motivated his teammates to do better and helped them grow as players. "Kobe is a different type of player, just like I said, just sitting back and watching Kobe and how he handled himself the whole year was great for me to watch,” said his teammate Dwight Howard to the LA Times.

Even though Bryant wasn’t able to play against the Spurs he encouraged his team to continue to make good defensive and offensive plays. “What I would say if I was there right now? Pau get ur a-- on the block and don't move till u get it #realtalk," tweeted Bryant as he coached his teammates from home.

Without Bryant, the Lakers lacked motivation and had difficulty scoring against the tough defense of the Spurs. As Bryant recovers there is hope that next year the Lakers will have a strong season. With the help of Pau Gasol and Howard, Bryant will try to make the Lakers a winning team. His main focus is to recover from this injury with the same mentality he always had.

“We don't quit, we don't cower, we don't run. We endure and conquer" said Bryant on Facebook.

The Celtics succeeding without Rondo

Rajon Rondo - Mark Runyon / Flickr

On January 27, 2013, the Boston Celtics announced that their star player Rajon Rondo would be out for the rest of the season because of an injury he sustained during their game aaingst the Atlanta Hawks two days earlier. After Rondo’s absence the team was able to go on a seven game winning streak. The players came together and were able to develop both their defense and offense in order to produce a team that is a contender in the race to playoffs.

Without Rondo, members of the Boston Celtics had to step up and work harder in order to fill his spot. Paul Pierce, Avery Bradley and Jeff Green are a few of the players who have improved to compensate for Rondo’s absence. “It’s giving guys an opportunity to step up, being able to elevate their play, and it’s showing,” said Paul Pierce to the Boston Globe.   

The Celtics focused on coming together and developing a game plan that did not include Rondo. “You have all those injuries, you usually go the other way. I just think our guys kind of came together and realized we don’t have a margin of error anymore,” said Celtics coach Doc Rivers to the Boston Globe.

The team worked on their skills and together they were able to developed good plays. The Celtics had a few days in between games, which allowed them to have more time to practice. As a result, the Boston Celtics won games against many strong teams.

Even though many people called the season over for the Celtics, they are still going strong, holding a 13-6 record without Rondo. The team has continuously worked on their skills and they have even allowed players who aren’t starters to play during most games. They will need to continue to progress without Rondo to ensure the team a spot in the playoffs. 

Contributed by Anya Batista

Lady Dragons struggle through a tough season

Lady Dragons / Thomas Henning

The High School of Math Science and Engineering’s girls’ basketball team had a tough 2012 season. Even though the team was unable to win any games throughout the season, they were able to develop their skills and gain confidence in their capabilities.

The team compensated for their loss of seniors from last season by recruiting new players. Compared to last season, there were a record number of students trying out for the girls’ basketball team, “About 22 girls tried out for the team,” said the coach Nick Diunte.

Though vast in number, the players struggled with their positions on the court. “The team got nervous during games, dribbling, driving, and taking shots,” said team captain Leah Cabrera.

Towards the end of the season, the players showed that they were getting out of their shells and had increased their confidence. “They became more comfortable as the season went on because they had a greater idea of what to expect on the court,” said Diunte.

Despite their rough season, the players showed great promise. The team is developing chemistry; they cheer each other on and they are not afraid to make mistakes in order to improve and help each other grow. “The team needs to continue to improve their confidence and that will help with everything else,” said junior Mikaela Bloch.

Navigating their way through a losing season, the team was still able to further their skills, build strong bonds and gain confidence. Even though the girls did not win any games they created memorable moments and had fun playing. The team will need to continue to work on their skills and motivate each other in order to do better next season.

Contributed by : Dionys Gutierrez 

Frustrating season for the Dragons

Hsmse boys' basketball team / Sara Louie

This season the boys’ basketball team of the High School for Math, Science, and Engineering failed to make the playoffs unlike last year. In the 2010-11 season, the team made it to the playoffs with a 6-6 record and eventually was eliminated in the first round. Going into the second half of this season, the team was 4-2 with high chances of exceeding last year’s record and making it to the playoffs once again. As the second half of the season progressed, the team had a 6-3 record with five games remaining and needed only one win to advance to the playoffs.

The team at that point was at its peak and things fell apart as the team went on to lose their next five games. The team in the end had a 6-8 record with no chance of making it to the playoffs. “We played five very competitive teams, one team on our level, and one team that we should’ve beaten,” said junior forward Kavan Edwards. Edwards, who missed one game this season, led the team in scoring. He felt that other teams adjusted to their style of play when they faced them for the second time. “Our team kept playing the same way through out the season and the other teams seemed to have caught on to our style of play.”

Even though the team didn't make it to the playoffs they put up a great effort and in the end, just came up a bit short. The team will make this season a learning experience for next season and will try to build on the new talent they receive in order to surpass this year’s performance.

The Dragons disappoint the fans

The game between the Dragons of High SchoolFor Math, Science And Engineering and the East Side Community was a disappointing game as the Dragons lost by 36 on their home court. The ESC team played a brilliant first quarter. They made great passes and played great on offense. There were many fast breaks and they were quick to get on loose balls. The first quarter ended with the Dragons down by 14 and the score was 16-2.

However when the 2^nd quarter arrived there was a noticeable improvement from the Dragons. They played a much tighter defense and were able to make great passes. There were many opportunities but they were just unable to get the ball in the hoop. They started off the 2^nd quarter with two attempts and were quick to get the rebound. However they were just unable to score. Fans cheered as the Dragons made some great set-ups that brought the ball up court effectively but the fans were disappointed when the team was just unable to put the ball in. Coach Diunte for the Dragons shouted advice ferociously on the sidelines trying to help out the team. A few minutes into the game I recall the coach shouting, “Box!, Box!, Box!, Box!," as he tried to tell the players on court to box out.

The 2^nd quarter ended with ESC in the lead now by 20 and the score was 25-5.

Hands down the 3^rd quarter was the best quarter for the Dragons. Donna Fintz, was able to make a steal and made a quick layup to the hoop making the score 25-7. After that they played a tight defense and ESC’s first shot of the quarter was four minutes in. After that ESC made two more shots, one of them a free throw. The Dragons played a great quarter only letting ECS score five points. They were now down by 23 and the score was 30-7.

But I guess in their minds the Dragons knew they needed a miracle to win the game with only one quarter left and they were down by 23. In the last quarter the Dragons were unable to make a single shot and ESC was able to take control and score 13 points. In the last few minutes of the game, freshmen Omotayo Adeoye was put into the game. However soon after she was put in she collided into Zhu over a loose ball. And to top it off ESC took control with their zone defense and even made a shot and the buzzer.

After the game in a interview with the Dragons junior forward, Hannah Creutzfeldt jokingly answered, “Passing and everything,” when asked what could they improve on. But on a more serious note number 14, Bloch Mikaela a sophomore answered,” We could probably improve on passing and shooting.” Coach Diunte however was very proud of Zhu and said,”… Nancy played her most energetic game all season…,” when asked about the team’s performance.

Social media regulations in sports

Social media is the new medium of this age. Actors, politicians, and even the random guy down street are all trying to maximize social media in order to better their brand and public-image. However, not everyone is able to truly maximize the potential social media offers. A prime example of this is in the realm of professional sports. Almost all of the different sports have their own social media policy that can either be very restricting, such as Major League Baseball and the Olympic games, or a wide open field, such as that of World Wrestling Entertainment's.

Dolph Ziggler sporting a social media costume with the #heel hashtag

The WWE shows how successful an unfettered social media policy can be. The WWE has amassed over seven-hundred thousand followers on Twitter and over seven million fans on Facebook and encourages all the fighters to have their own social media presence. In fact, the WWE promotes the players’ social media presence whenever they are at a fight. They don’t place any restrictions on their players and it pays off. The fans are able to interact with the fighters like never before and this gives them a feeling of connection; WWE memes have trended multiple times on twitter. It pays off for the WWE as well, as they get an opportunity to drive traffic to their site and promote less popular content. They have struck social media gold with their policy of unregulation.

Not everyone has been so accepting. The Olympics have been anything but accepting of social media by putting in place harsh restrictions such as: not allowing the contestants to comment on anything other then the events that they took part in, or not being able to interview other players, and perhaps the most ridiculous thing is that they can’t post any pictures of the games themselves. The list goes on and on with more rules that completely kill the hope for athletes to develop a social connection with their fans, and ultimately all this hurts the Olympics as well. The Olympics is having to struggle with making the games more relevant, and it is quickly becoming the token of dying media.

Other leagues are also falling behind. MLB has recently implemented a new social media policy that is failing them. MLB has 1.6 millon Twitter followers about half of both the NBA and NFL. The MLB is also falling behind in new media forms of publication, specifically their presence on YouTube. Frequently MLB takes down fan-made videos with MLB content, not allowing the fans to interact and express their passions for the game. All this, while having a practically non-existent presence on the site, occasionally uploading videos not catching more than a thousand views. Compare this to the NBA who happily post game excerpts driving people to get interested in the game and watch it on tv, greatly increasing the revenue flow.

There is no doubt that social media can be very influential in sports, but the people in charge are still slow to embrace it. The WWE should be a model for other sports to look to for their social media policies. The WWE shows how being open can win you everything.

HSMSE Dragons dominate in a convincing win

On December 19th, the HSMSE Dragons played their fourth game of the season against the Lab Museum Gators in their City College gym. The Dragons entered the game as favorites with a 2-1 record, while the Gators were still in search of their first game of the season. They would not be able to find it however, as the Dragon’s dominated in a 51-40 victory.Overall the Dragon’s played entertaining basketball and were very efficient with their passing and shooting.Star player Kavan Edwards led the team in scoring with 25 points, one assist and six rebounds. Starting point guard and captain Eli Auslander also scored four points and had eleven assists. The Dragons showed superiority with their height advantage, the Gators had no relatively tall players to compete with the likes of Dylan Agyemang or Brandon Agyemang. The Dragons had no problem getting their plays going and scored most of the time they were on the opposing court. It should be said that the defense was far from impressive, and if not for the Gators horrible shooting then the outcome could have possibly been very different. Another problem was that the Dragons gave up nine fouls which gifted the Gators many valuable points.The Dragons played a dominating game of basketball and showed off their attacking prowess. Their should be improvement on defense and the amount of cheap fouls given away needs to be reduced. The Dragons now have a 3-1 record and are only three wins away from tying their record last year.

Improvements needed for the High School for Math Science and Engineering girls’ basketball team

Courtesy of Tom Henning

On December 9 2011, the girls basketball game between The High School for Math Science and Engineering (HSMSE) and The Institute for Collaborative Education (ICE) was a loss for HSMSE with a score of 29-16. In this game the HSMSE girls scored 16 points, the most so far this season. This is evidence they are improving, but they have a lot more to work on.

One way the HSMSE girls can sharpen their skills is by improving their defense. The girls are energetic and rushed back to defend their court; however sometimes it is better to press instead of playing a zone. ICE pressed the HSMSE girls and managed to get plenty of turnovers and steals. Also the HSMSE girls need to practice having control of the ball and rebounds. There was only two offensive rebound made by the HSMSE girls. These improvements are critical toward the team’s success.

The next issue with the team is the amount of recruits they’re gaining each year. This year, HSMSE only has one freshman recruit, Omotayo Adeoye. A few of the team’s best players are seniors. What will happen next year once the best players leave. Adeoye said, “Wow I haven't thought about that. I feel us though we're improving so i mean we can't really replace them, but we can do as well as they're doing and we're doing pretty well so far."

If the team gets more recruits and a better defense, the HSMSE girls basketball team will be a strong team. The question now is will they fly high, or will they fall down fast? It all depends on the team themselves.

Big improvement for a small team

With a small club, the HSMSE Girls Basketball team has been playing less than stellar. A record of 0-4 has haunted the struggling Dragons, they have been improving since their first few games.

Their game on December 9th, 2011 was exceptionally exciting for the girls. They put up a season record for points. With 16 against visiting Institute for Collaborative Education.

Donna Fintzi and Mikaela Bloch led the team with five points each. With the other players contributing six points, the team made major improvements that helped them rack up baskets. "I think it's a great improvement. I see a lot of us trying harder now and being more focused and putting in more energy and taking time to see what's happening," said Leah Cabrera.

They played exceptionally well on defense. Before this game, their opponents averaged 40 points. One visible improvement on defense was the ability to stop their opponents from scoring after turnovers. I.C.E managed to get multiple back to back steals in the first half. The Dragons managed to limit fast break points on the other end.

They struggled on passing, a problem they suffered from game one. "I feel like we just have to get stronger and [get] more accurate passes and that will help to get the game flowing better," said Donna Fintzi. They got over those passing troubles by dominating the paint. The Dragons saw a weakness in I.C.E's defense and started running to the basket. In the second half, they focused on their shooting and that helped later in the game. Another major problem was offensive rebounding. "I think it's the fact that we are undersized, and also that a lot of our players are standing around and watching. I think that is somewhat due to the inexperience. A shot goes off and some people are just kind of watching the person shooting which is typical of high school basketball," said coach Diunte.

Hoping that they can pull off a win, Head Coach Diunte said the team needs to practice on passing. "I feel that next practice we are probably going to take a step back and focus on like the mechanics of the pass a little bit more and then add passing under pressure a bit. So I think those things will help us play better if we can you know pass correctly and then also on the same time be able to pass under some pressure."