On Tues., Nov. 18, at 4:30 p.m., the boys junior varsity basketball team went up against Flanagan High School. It was the junior varsity team’s home opener, and the team was in search of their second win of the season. Meanwhile, Flanagan aimed to kick off their season with a win; this was their first game of the season.

The game began with a technical foul on Flanagan, sending guard Joey Levi (2) to the free throw line to shoot two and giving the junior varsity team a 1-0 lead before the game even began. The first quarter can only be described as physical. Both teams seemed to be trading fouls up and down the court and taking trips to the free throw line.

In this gritty first quarter, the junior varsity team found themselves leading 13-4 after a string of free throws from Levi, fellow guards Jack Kornblau (22) and Jacob Lowry (10), and center Avi Gabbay (14). The team also scored a few layups to finish off the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the team’s aggressive full-court press defense proved effective, with guard Luke Sherman (0) and the rest of the team overwhelming Flanagan as soon as they got the ball. This led to steals and easy fast break points.

“The key to the press defense being effective was everyone giving full effort,” Sherman said.

The junior varsity team began to pull away, with Lowry scoring many points in the second quarter, along with an and-one bucket, which electrified the crowd and players alike. Lowry fueled the team’s offensive success, leading them in scoring this game with 16 points, while also shooting 60% on field goals, a very high percentage.

The junior varsity team’s full-court press style defense continued to pay off throughout the rest of the half, allowing just 15 points in the first half of play. This permitted the team to go into halftime with a comfortable 31-15 lead.

During halftime, the team addressed what improvements could be made and how to replicate the performance they had put up in the first half.

“The team has lots of energy, especially after halftime,” forward Bryce Hantman (1) said. “We really turned the energy up.”

To start the third quarter, the junior varsity team continued to impose their will. Sherman set the tone for the team’s dominant third quarter play by swishing a three pointer on their first possession, bringing his point total to seven. The team’s strong defensive performance kept up; they continued to run a high press defensive scheme, while Flanagan struggled to put points on the board.

The team’s offense continued their scoring campaign, putting up 15 points in one quarter, the same amount Flanagan managed to put together in the first half. The defense was the highlight of the game, however, allowing just two points in the third quarter and bringing the team’s lead to 29 points.

“The team did very well,” Gabbay said. “I feel like the work we do in practice showed throughout the game.”

In the last quarter of play, the team had the game in hand, up 46-17, but they were not content with the score. Hantman stepped up to the free throw line early in the fourth quarter to pad the team’s lead, as they continued to tack on nine points. The defense did not let up its aggressive style of play, once again limiting Flanagan to single-digit points in the fourth quarter on their way to a 55-22 victory.

“It feels good to start the season 2-0, but I’m not going to let it get to my head,” Gabbay said. “Every new game brings new competition so it’s important to stay disciplined at all times.”

The team proved to be superior, coming out on top over Flanagan 55-22. After coming off a season in which the boys junior varsity basketball team went 7-10 while dropping four of their first five games, the team seems to be revived; they have begun the season by winning both of their two first games in dominating fashion. The team seeks to build on their hot streak and improve to a 3-0 record at home against Deerfield Beach High School on Thurs., Nov. 20.