In the two-week layoff since the Richard Montgomery boys basketball team defeated Bethesda-Chevy Chase 75-52 on January 15, the worry has been staying fresh. With final exams, there was already a week and a half layoff between that B-CC game and the January 26 game at Einstein. With Winter Storm Jonas thrown in, it has now been two full weeks since their last game.

That break finally comes to an end when the boys go to Einstein on Saturday to make up their snowed-out game.

Following the B-CC game, sophomore Daryn Alexander said his recipe for success over the exam break was to “Keep playing fast, keep coming to practice, and stay healthy.”

Without any official practices for the past week, the RM boys team has had to take it upon themselves to stay in fit condition.

“We basically go to the local rec centers to play pick-ups to stay in shape,” senior Daniel Alexander said. “Also, most of us did some shoveling.” Most importantly, no injuries were sustained while playing pick-up games or shoveling the 30 inches of snow that knocked out school for the entire last week of January.

“My brother and I have been stretching so I think we’ll be just fine,” Daryn Alexander said. Two of his three keys to success have been fulfilled: practicing and staying healthy. On Saturday, Daryn’s third goal – playing fast – will be put to the test against Einstein.

RM basketball has promised fans on Twitter that those who make the trip to Einstein at 12 p.m. will receive a free t-shirt for their efforts.

The Rockets are 5-0 in the 4A/3A South division and 9-3 overall. Senior Joseph Contreras believes the key will be maintaining discipline on Saturday. “We just have to stick to our game plan. Push the ball and play intense defense the whole game,” Contreras said.

“We’re going to build back some of the momentum this game and keep the season rolling,” Daniel Alexander said.