By Darius Majd - The Darien YMCA Basketball League has been a hot topic among Darien High School sports enthusiasts this year, thanks in large part to the commitment of DHS seniors. On Wednesday night (3/2) in the DHS South Gym, House Basketball fans got the match up they had been hoping for as soon as the playoff brackets were announced: Mavericks vs. Spurs. On top of being two of the best teams in the league during the season, the Mavericks and the Spurs were also two of the most senior laden teams (7 of 9 players for the Mavericks, and 6 of 8 for the Spurs), making them instant fan favorites.
The game did not disappoint, and as expected, the seniors came up big in an effort to preserve the organized basketball careers: seniors scored 97 of the 99 points (Spurs junior Jim Anderson logged the other two points). The Spurs jumped out to an early double-digit lead thanks to three consecutive and-one lay ups. But the Mavericks found success driving through the paint, and closed the gap; the first half ended with the Spurs clinging to a 23-22 lead. Mavericks took their first lead of the night by putting in the first basket in the second half, but the Spurs immediately responded with a huge run to establish another double-digit lead. Spurs seniors Ben Preston and Graham Maybell were the catalysts, with Preston finishing easy buckets in transition, and Maybell nailing tough jump shots. Although the Spurs kept up the pressure with a fast-paced run-and-gun offense, the Mavericks were not ready to fold; seniors Tyler Pruden, Parker Lange, and Ricky Miller had huge success penetrating the usually stout Spurs defense. Unfortunately, many of their shots did not fall. Another problem was that the Mavericks were constantly fouled, preventing consistent two-point possessions. But the biggest issue was the Mavericks’ inability to free up sharp-shooting senior sparkplug Sam Nelson (especially in the final minutes, when the team needed a rally). The teams traded points down the stretch, and the Spurs claimed the victory 53-46.
Although Preston and Maybell provided star power, the other Spurs seniors – Alex “Elmo” McGuire (10 points), Darius Majd (6 points), and Ben Lowden (4 points, and plenty of rebounds) – were key in the second half. McGuire said of the game: “Our team flowed like a single, cohesive machine, which allowed us to drop bombs from outside and pound it into the paint. The Mavericks were left stunned and defeated.” Although defeated, the Mavericks showed plenty of heart. Their seniors deserve to be acknowledged and congratulated: Parker Lange, Ricky Miller, Tyler Pruden, Sam Nelson, Rupert Hansford, Kevin Keller, and Reid Evanich.
With the win, the Spurs advance to the House Basketball Championship Game. They will face the Thunder in a rematch of the Winners’ Bracket Finals played before break (won by the Thunder 43-40), on Friday (3/4) at 9 p.m. in the DHS Main Gym.
The game did not disappoint, and as expected, the seniors came up big in an effort to preserve the organized basketball careers: seniors scored 97 of the 99 points (Spurs junior Jim Anderson logged the other two points). The Spurs jumped out to an early double-digit lead thanks to three consecutive and-one lay ups. But the Mavericks found success driving through the paint, and closed the gap; the first half ended with the Spurs clinging to a 23-22 lead. Mavericks took their first lead of the night by putting in the first basket in the second half, but the Spurs immediately responded with a huge run to establish another double-digit lead. Spurs seniors Ben Preston and Graham Maybell were the catalysts, with Preston finishing easy buckets in transition, and Maybell nailing tough jump shots. Although the Spurs kept up the pressure with a fast-paced run-and-gun offense, the Mavericks were not ready to fold; seniors Tyler Pruden, Parker Lange, and Ricky Miller had huge success penetrating the usually stout Spurs defense. Unfortunately, many of their shots did not fall. Another problem was that the Mavericks were constantly fouled, preventing consistent two-point possessions. But the biggest issue was the Mavericks’ inability to free up sharp-shooting senior sparkplug Sam Nelson (especially in the final minutes, when the team needed a rally). The teams traded points down the stretch, and the Spurs claimed the victory 53-46.
Although Preston and Maybell provided star power, the other Spurs seniors – Alex “Elmo” McGuire (10 points), Darius Majd (6 points), and Ben Lowden (4 points, and plenty of rebounds) – were key in the second half. McGuire said of the game: “Our team flowed like a single, cohesive machine, which allowed us to drop bombs from outside and pound it into the paint. The Mavericks were left stunned and defeated.” Although defeated, the Mavericks showed plenty of heart. Their seniors deserve to be acknowledged and congratulated: Parker Lange, Ricky Miller, Tyler Pruden, Sam Nelson, Rupert Hansford, Kevin Keller, and Reid Evanich.
With the win, the Spurs advance to the House Basketball Championship Game. They will face the Thunder in a rematch of the Winners’ Bracket Finals played before break (won by the Thunder 43-40), on Friday (3/4) at 9 p.m. in the DHS Main Gym.
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