On Tuesday night, January 7, the NYHS JV and varsity Lions basketball teams faced off against the Crosspoint Christian School Wildcats after a two-week holiday break.
The JV Lions began the night with an intense showdown against the Crosspoints Wildcats. In the first quarter, the Wildcats struck quickly with a three-pointer, setting the tone for a back-and-forth game. The Wildcats maintained their lead, finishing the half with 14-22. “Our only problem was that we didn’t communicate well and we couldn’t break their plays— but I’d say we played great defense,” said Mose Owen, number 24.
The final quarter was tense. Freshman Jonah Negrin, number 11, shot a three-pointer in the last two minutes, bringing NYHS within three points of being tied.
“I think we could have gotten it going in the first quarter instead of 4th — also we could focus on our offense and not fouling as much,” Negrin said.
Despite their relentless effort, the Lions fell short, with the Wildcats clinching a 50-47 victory.” Overall both teams played a really hard game—everybody was a great sport, and I am happy with how the game finished out,” Wildcats JV coach Owen Wyatt said.
However, the NYHS varsity team beat the varsity Wildcats in a fast-paced game with a score of 67-54. The Wildcats struck first with an early jump shot, but shooting guard Evan Kaufthal, number 1, responded quickly, making a layup and leading the charge for the first quarter. By the second quarter, both teams were trading baskets in a frenetic game filled with quick turnovers. By halftime, the Wildcats held a narrow lead of 24-22.
But the Lions found their rhythm in the final quarter, cutting the Wildcats’ lead to just three points. The Lions’ crowd erupted as the team fought to take control of the game. By the end of the quarter, the Wildcats’ fate was sealed, and NYHS won 67-54. “In the first three quarters, we would be in the game for a few minutes and then let our guard down for a few minutes,” says NYHS varsity Coach Steven Bunin. “In the fourth quarter, we started doing the right things, getting to the right spaces, and making our shot—that was arguably our best quarter of the entire season.”
