“It’s time to play real basketball, Jaguar basketball,” echoed throughout the stands at the BCAA Big 8 quarter-final game as the Jaguars prepared for their first game of the tournament. On Thursday, January 29, @ 5:30pm, the Jaguars faced off against Stranahan High School’s Mighty Dragons at Fort Lauderdale High School. They were selected due to their record, which is 15-5, and they are ranked No. 1 in Class 5A in the state of Florida.
The two teams have a history, as they have competed against each other twice this season. The first time they faced off was at the Kreul tournament on Saturday, December 20, and they lost the game 39-52. Then, they got revenge when they played against each other on Monday, December 29, at the Kingdom of Sun tournament, and the Jaguars won the game 61-41.
Senior Robert Guishard commented prior to the game, “We are coming into this game to play; we want the win, and we are here to dominate, as we plan to continue our winning streak.”
The announcer introduces the starters, seniors Jacob Trenchfield, Robert Guishard Jr., and Roman Hughes, then juniors Anthony Walcott and Zack Dawson. Then, the game tipped off, and the Jaguars gained possession of the ball. The first quarter was slow, with few points scored; the Mighty Dragons led 11-6.
Then, the game started to heat up in the second quarter as the two teams went into a head-to-head battle. The ball flew across the court while both teams were fighting for possession of the ball. The second quarter ended with a score of 16-12, and the Jaguars led this quarter, yet overall, the Mighty Dragons were up 23-22 as they headed into halftime.
The Jaguars began to roar back in the third quarter, keeping the crowd on their toes. Junior Alex Vardakis led his team, accounting for several 3-pointers, aiding them to a 6-point lead. The quarter ended 17-10, making the total score 39-33, with the Jaguars in the lead.
The final quarter began, the score was tight, and the win depended on the last few seconds of the game. Junior Anthony Walcott and Vardakis both assisted their team to victory, accounting for a three-pointer and a free throw.
The buzzer blared across the gym, and the game ended. The fourth quarter ended 17-15, and the final score was 54-50, a Jaguar victory. They advanced to the semi-finals against Miramar High School, and they have recently faced off against them on Monday, January 12, yet lost 48-51.
A first-year varsity sophomore, Naeem Nasai, added, “It feels great to win our first game of the tournament. I am looking forward to the next game, as we are here to play.”
