Boys Varsity Basketball continues to light up the court, maintaining its momentum from last season.
After winning games throughout Winter Break and playing against Lawrenceville at Barclays Center in New York City, the team is prepared to dominate this season. Last season, the Boys Varsity Basketball team made it to the semi-finals of the NEPSAC Class A playoffs and came away as Founders League and Tri-State League Champions. The team ended the season with a 19-6 record, making last season one of its most successful in recent years.
This year, the team hopes to win the NEPSAC Class A playoffs. Having only graduated one starting Senior last season, the eight returners on the team have a solid understanding of how to work well with each other, an advantage the team hasn’t had in the past. Captain Miles Brewster ’20 said, “I’m looking forward to our team clicking more, hitting a rhythm, and having chemistry as our team grows closer throughout the season.”
The team is also working to incorporate six new players: Dusan Neskovic ’20, Vasja Pandza ’20, JJ Paul ’22, Langston Harris ’21, Henry Tarr ’21, and Kayo Wiggins ’21. Harris said, “I’m excited to get better, bond with the team, [and] be pushed to improve myself by my coach and teammates to compete at a higher level.”
Both Brewster and Harris attribute part of their individual and team success to the energy that fans create at games. As the team has improved over the last few years, more and more
students have come out to cheer. Brewster said, “One of the best parts [of the team] is the support we get; it’s kind of incredible. Playing in Fowle is so fun, because it’s such a compact gym. I feel all the energy, and I love that environment. Every time I score, I get to look at the crowd, and everyone’s cheering.”
Players credit Head Coach Yassine Talhaoui with affecting their lives both on and off the court, and appreciate the time and energy he invests in Boys Varsity Basketball. Brewster reflected, “Coach Talhoui has been a really important mentor for me in basketball, but also beyond that. He’s constantly making sure I’m in the right position with colleges, he’s good at giving me guidance, but also just being a good friend. He’s my guy.”
The Boys Varsity Basketball team faces Westminster on January 25 in an away game, but will be back in Fowle on January 29 to play Kent at home, the first test of a six-game home stretch that will end in mid-February.