The boys Varsity basketball team fell one game short of making it into the playoffs after not having made them since 2001, losing to the Brennan Bears 58-74, in a game that started close this past Wednesday, Feb 17.
At the beginning of the first quarter the teams were neck and neck, and the boys came out strong and confident to start the night, holding a two-point lead over the Brennan Bears at the end of the first quarter 14 to 12.
“We came out confident that we were going to win and we came out giving it our best shot,” senior shooting guard Marquise Ware said.
Head varsity coach Jarvin Hall liked the way the team was able to start the game as well.
“In the first quarter, the players were playing hard, playing together, and they had a lot of energy. The guys were being very aggressive,” Hall said.
By the end of the second quarter, the team was right next to Brennan, with just one point separating them. The halftime score was Brennan 32, Holmes 31.
During the beginning of the second half, seniors Ricardo Rodriguez and Bryan Etheridge worked together and did a good job finding each other on the court, showcasing that this team is great at working together, which they’ve displayed throughout the season.
“He (Bryan) was always there at practice, so it was just easy to find him during the game. We are definitely a team-oriented team, and you would see a lot of double teams here and there, the guys knew when they needed to step up,” Rodriguez said.
After coming out of the half strong, thriving, and trying their best, fatigue got to them and momentum wasn’t on their side.
“It was really intense and we were all in tune,” Ware said.
At the end of the 3rd quarter the game began getting out of hand with the Huskies down 36-50. Despite that, the boys stayed positive and they didn’t let the turn affect them.
Towards the end of the fourth quarter, with the chance at playoffs slipping away, the seniors started to realize that this would be their last game.
Despite the heart and exceptional effort, the Huskies will have to wait until next season to have a chance at playoffs, and the seniors will have to move on.
“Enjoy it while it lasts and enjoy every single day,” Ware said in an emotional moment to the underclassmen on the team.
Ultimately, this year’s team showed another step of growth under coach Hall, and the graduating seniors expect that to continue on into next season with players like standout junior Marco Anthony returning to the squad.
“They will be alright and I know they will do well next season,” Etheridge said.