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Haldane Boys Basketball Inching Back
by Chris Anderson
Due to the midterm schedule last week, which marked the middle of the school year for Haldane and its students, the varsity boys’ basketball team had just one game on Friday at Gould. At 4-9 and with time running out, the Devils knew they needed to string together some wins in order to earn a birth into the playoffs in mid February. In order to make sectionals, class C teams need to win 40% of their games, and in Haldane’s case, that means they need eight marks in the win column. After over half a season of crushing defeats, many of which by 5 points or less, and all of which were winnable games, the Devils knew they needed to put that all behind them and start a streak. Gould now serves as the knot on which the string of W’s will grow.
Last Friday, the Devils came out in the first quarter, and their time off apparently had an effect. They were rusty, and had some turnovers and bad shots, but through it all they were able to maintain a lead, and were ahead 15-12. Then, and pardon for the Emeril cliché but it just fits, they kicked it up a notch. The Boys in Blue went on a 24-5 run in the second half, during which they executed on offense and were aggressive and relentless on defense. The Devils owned the boards on both sides of the court and enabled a high energy, powerful game on the Giants. At the half they held a comfortable 39-17 lead, but it would not stop there. While most teams come out in the third quarter revering from the time off, the Devils maintained their pace, and tallied another 20-point quarter. Andy Spentzos set the pace on offense, scoring 19 points and three three-pointers. Sophomore center Joe Torchia did his part as well, scoring 11 points while grabbing 17 rebounds. The Devils continued their intense play throughout the fourth, and had a well-earned 72-39 victory at the sound of the buzzer.
Standing at 5-9, the Devils know they still have a challenge to make sectionals. But the win last week was a big confidence boost for a young and competitive team that knows they could easily have 10 wins had the ball bounced another way or a whistle was or was not blown. That is all behind them now, and the Devils know what they have to do. It is now only up to them to decide who will control their destiny as they try to inch closer to the magic number eight. Stay tuned!
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