The Richard Montgomery Rockets’ basketball season came to an end on Tuesday, Feb. 28, with a tough loss to the Churchill Bulldogs in the semifinals of 2023 MPSSAA Boys Basketball 4A West tournament. The final score of the game was 64-57, and while the Rockets put up a valiant effort, it was simply not enough to secure a victory.

Despite the loss, the Rockets had an impressive season, finishing with a record of 13-10. The team had an up and down start to the season, winning five of their first six convincingly but followed those games up with three straight losses. However, they bounced back and eventually ended the season with four straight wins before the season-ending loss against Churchill in the second round of the playoffs. 

One of the highlights of the Rockets’ season was a thrilling 59-53 victory over rival B-CC High School in the first round of the playoffs. In that game, the Rockets were down early in the first half, but continued to fight back and eventually closed the game, making clutch free throws and defensive stops to put the score out of reach for B-CC.

The Rockets’ season had its highs and lows, but they showed resilience and determination throughout. Head Coach David Breslaw made sure the team was always ready to compete and instilled a strong work ethic in his players.

While the Rockets may be disappointed with their early exit from the playoffs, they should be proud of what they accomplished this season. They fought hard in every game and played with heart and passion. This season may be over, but the future looks bright for the Rockets, with several key players returning next year. 

Throughout the season, the team kept a strong mentality realizing there was always another opportunity to make a play. “[The team] focused on one game at a time and continued to play the games at a high tempo,” Fin Shiddiq said. Although Shiddiq is a senior and won’t be returning to the team next season, he believes that they “built something special this year”.

“I hope the returning players continue to build on what they started this year,” Shiddiq said.