On Tues., Dec. 9, at 7:30 p.m., the boys varsity basketball team played against Coral Glades High School. After starting the season 3-0, the team has found itself in a hunt to snap a four-game losing skid following their most recent loss to Coral Springs High School. Coral Glades entered the game with a 3-2 record, coming off their second loss of the season.

“We got to play as a team and with lots of energy to win this game,” point guard Liam Refaeli (12) said.

The game began with Coral Glades off to a hot start, scoring two layups and a 3-pointer to set the team down 0-7 early in the first quarter. A deep two from power forward Zachariah Story (1) kicked off the scoring for the team, and following a 3-pointer from shooting guard Jeremiah Backer (15), the game was back within two points.

The two teams traded a couple more baskets, with Story showcasing his post moves early, maneuvering around Coral Glades defenders to score. Point guard Derek Scheidt (4) assisted Story on another layup to make the score 7-14 midway through the first quarter.

“Our half court defense stepped up and we fought hard all game,” shooting guard Jacob Rayvis (0) said.

Despite the offense working early in the game, Coral Glades began to pull away in the back half of the second quarter. Coral Glades’ perimeter shooting was on point, shooting 53% beyond the arc. Their early offensive explosion meant the team faced a 9-26 deficit going into the second quarter.

Entering the second quarter, the team attempted to generate some offensive momentum, starting with a pair of layups from Story. This was followed up by a deep three from Backer. After a technical foul on Coral Glades, Backer sank two free throws, giving him eight points on the night. To conclude the team’s scoring in the first half, Scheidt stepped up to the free throw line and made both of his shots.

Their efforts on offense proved to be futile, though, as Coral Glades offense thrust into full throttle, scoring 22 points in the second quarter. Coral Glades’ efficiency on offense was the story of the game, as the varsity team trailed 20-48 entering the half.

“We took too many threes and missed wide open layups,” Scheidt said. “So I feel that’s what we got to work on.”

In the second half, the team hoped to regroup and find a way back into the game. However, the third quarter was no better than the two before it. The offensive production went on a steep decline, scoring just four points following a jumpshot by Scheidt and a layup by Story.

Aside from the large deficit, Story played well, making his presence felt in the paint by leading the team in scoring and pulling down multiple rebounds.

The team failed to stop the Coral Glades offense, as they continued their offensive dominance by scoring 16 points in the third quarter. They were highly efficient on offense, finishing the game with a field goal percentage of 57%. This lack of offense from the team paired with the offensive display by Coral Glades was the recipe for a 24-64 deficit heading into the final quarter of play.

In the fourth quarter, the varsity team fought valiantly in attempts to at least close the score gap. The team replaced the starters halfway through the fourth quarter with reserve players, and they managed to score two points while Coral Glades scored 16 points to close out the varsity team’s loss.

“We got to communicate and have energy throughout the game,” Rayvis said. “We also need to stop teams in transition.”

It was a rough game for the team, losing their fifth consecutive game by a score of 26-80. The team will look to improve on their mistakes from this matchup and come out stronger in upcoming games. The team will aim to snap their losing streak in their next matchup on the road against Forest Hill High School on Fri., Dec. 12.