They celebrate as the final buzzer sounds, ending their 66-17 rout of the W.T. White Longhorns in Walsh Gym, the crowds cheering in their gold shirts, ready for the gold-out game. The team passes through the crowd of gold-clad, cheering fans, calling their names and congratulating them on their impressive victory. Just one game of many in the Battle for the Saddle, JV gold securely defeated W.T. White.
Both JV gold and JV blue basketball are posting great seasons. Led by coaches Tim Murphy and Austin Nevitt, the teams performed tremendously well in their games from January 2 to January 8. The teams racked up a combined record of 5-0 during the week, adding to already impressive records. Beating teams like Irving, Irving Nimitz, W.T. White, and Rockwall-Heath is no easy feat, but the boys showed their skills in all of the games.
JV blue has had an impressive season, although they struggle to fill up their lineup each game. Coach Austin Nevitt said, “We’ve been playing games with five or six guys, but the team has shown perseverance and won some great games with only a few players.” Team leaders have emerged when there are no more fresh legs to put on the court when it’s late in the second half, and the team has clearly been stepping up to the challenge and won their games.
In both games, sophomores Jack Allen, Aidan Buckley, and Christopher Horton have all stepped up to make some key plays. Christopher Horton, ’18, remembered that “Aidan Buckley dominated the post, pulling a ton of boards and getting a lot of buckets.” With help from Jack Allen, the team was able to get a strong lead over Rockwall-Heath and obtain this lead until the final buzzer.
Similarly, the JV gold team put forth outstanding performances during the week between the second and the eighth. The team, led by a group of juniors and sophomores, and featuring the exceptional skills of a freshman, dominated the competition. Beating their opponents by eight, thirty-one, and forty-nine, the team featured great performances by all of the players.
Posting twenty-seven points against Nimitz, Nicky Prendergast ’18, led his team in points scored. After the game, Nicky praised his team, noting that “The team has been playing awesome together and the leadership by our coaches and experienced players has been crucial in our winning performances.” This leadership has clearly shown after these games as the team is on a seven-game winning streak.
Both teams’ abilities to work together amidst adversity was clearly demonstrated through their impressive 5-0 record through the week of January second to the eighth. Hopefully, the Jesuit fans can show their support for their brothers as the teams face off against familiar opponents in the upcoming weeks.
