The RM boys basketball team was victorious 58-49 after an enduring battle against Walter Johnson last Wednesday night. It was an uplifting game for the Rockets as they advanced their record to 12-3, a pleasant change from the two losses they accumulated in their last two games.
WJ proved to be ample competition despite Richard Montgomery’s home court advantage. From tip off, the Rockets kept their energy under control, utilizing hand-off passes and taking their time to set up their offense properly. Junior Daryn Alexander broke the silence a minute and a half into the game with a three-point shot to start things off.
Later in the first quarter, the Wildcats had difficulty maintaining possession as the Rockets swatted at passes and forced turnovers. However, WJ’s Matt Collishaw, standing at 6’5”, became a notable threat in the paint as he helped his team trail closely behind.
RM responded with their very own senior Zaire Mitchell-Paden at post, who positioned himself under the basket for a shot from below. Outside the circle, senior Jashon Hawkins was demonstrating his range after he scored three pointer after three pointer to help his team stay on top. At the end of the quarter, the Rockets led 12-11.
The action-packed second quarter began with passing trouble on WJ’s end of the court. It seemed all too easy as Richard Montgomery repeatedly threw in a hand and shift possession. The Wildcats’ zone defense was no match for the agile Rockets, whose swift hand-offs around the circle left the opponents’ heads swiveling left and right. A significant improvement in offensive rebounding allowed Mitchell-Paden to maintain possession of ball, and Walter Johnson’s fouling would send him to the line repeatedly to increase RM’s lead.
However before the end of the half, the Rockets would continue their momentum. Senior Jordan Stover used superior ball-handling skills to maneuver around the Wildcats and finish in the paint. Walter Johnson entered a dry period, going several possessions without gaining on RM at all.
After a quick timeout with 20 seconds left in the half, WJ’s Nate Hochberg scored two three-pointers to shorten the lead. Hochberg would continue to contribute for Walter Johnson later in the game, making the team wish they had guarded him more closely. “He was on fire,” noted Breslaw, ”we gave him too many opportunities early.” The score at halftime was 27-20 RM.
Diving into the third quarter, Walter Johnson sought to catch up with the Rockets. Despite several failed attempts to draw fouls, the Wildcats picked it up on offense as their shooters went to work. Halfway through, RM’s lead had shortened to 32-29. Fortunately, the Rockets responded with efforts such as that of Hawkins, who was fouled from behind the arc and still made his basket.
With intensity picking up, the possession fluctuated quickly between each team and the pace of the game reached a peak. The Rockets kept their energy under control by holding onto the ball or making calculated passes in an attempt to slow things down. A timeout called with a minute left in the quarter aided this process as it gave the team an opportunity to discuss strategy. When the game was back in session, however, Walter Johnson found success and tightened things up to 41-39 before the whistle blew.
The start of the fourth quarter signaled an immense rally of call-and-response action as the Rockets aimed to hold on to their narrow lead. Alexander helped to trip up WJ slightly by guarding the opponent closely and forcing a turnover. An absence of defensive rebounds let Walter Johnson keep the possession for long enough to challenge RM’s lead. The teams were neck and neck, although Richard Montgomery always remained a shot ahead.
With 4:25 left on the clock, the score was tied 46-46. The ploy of strategic fouling commenced and each team crept toward earning their bonuses. A particularly gruesome foul put senior Evan Threet in questionable condition, but he was able to walk off the court and make a reappearance. WJ usurped the lead but the Rockets still had a minute and a half left to catch up.
Alexander allowed the Rockets to pull ahead again, and Mitchell-Paden’s rebounds secured the lead. Once the Wildcats gave the RM their bonus, a fouling frenzy only increased the lead and the game was won, 58-49.
The team is pleased to have risen from their small slump, although coach Breslaw took a different approach to the two games prior to Wednesday’s match-up. “Despite the fact that we’ve lost these last couple of games, we’ve had the least amount of turnovers, and we’ve had some of the best defense.” he recalled.
However, there’s always room for improvement. “We just need to score more,” Breslaw added, and the team wishes to do just that as they face off against their rivals, the Rockville Rams, in their following game.
