A riveting basketball game took place last Saturday night at home for the DGS boys varsity basketball team. Even with the boys slow start, they managed to pull off a high scoring win against Nazareth Academy, 74-68.
The boys started the game with a win on the jump ball by starting 6’7” forward Daniel Sveiteris against Nazareth starting 6’8” forward Danny Wrzesinski. However; Nazareth put numbers on the board first, the scorers being guard Matthew Callahan and point guard Eddie McNamara.
Not until 5:55 left in the first, starting guard Adam Flowers originally missed his layup but his teammate guard Keon Maggitt rebounded the shot and passed it back to Flowers who finished a clean layup going up the middle of the ring. The first quarter ended with DGS losing 17-10.
One of the newest members of the team, starting guard Wyatt Wawro tied the back and forth game for DGS, 25-25, with a clean 3-pointer smoothly landing in the basket with no Nazareth players around. A couple shots later, DGS guard Sean Day took the lead after he completed a 3-pointer on the left side of the court with 2:10 left in the half, 28-27.
“In the first quarter we thought we could just come out really slow and stay in the game and win it. However, after we saw the score and our coaches talked to us, we kind of realized we don’t have that pleasure to just come out there and play kind of loggy, so we had to turn it up,” Wawro said.
Guard Daniel Laurich started the third off with a 3-pointer followed by Wawro stealing the ball after Nazareth rebounded to complete a layup putting them above, 37-34.
“[Daniels’s] sweet three in the corner was massive, followed by [Wawro’s] layup kind of blew the top off of it. With that mix, we found the momentum we needed,” varsity head coach Zachary Miller said.
Miller spoke upon Wawro’s 16 point game, being the second highest scorer for DGS-tied with Maggitt, just below Flowers’ 22 points.
DGS ended the third on top of Nazareth by one, 50-49.
The momentum continued in the fourth. Both teams exceeded the number of team fouls that are allowed. Wrzesinski was fouled out of the game right after DGS took the lead 59-58 with 4:05 left on the clock.
Once DGS took the lead, their offense and especially defense were not letting the win go.
“We eliminated second chance points and we were getting a lot more activity on and off the ball,” Miller said. “I look at this team and I see mainly guards. But they are able to make plays, winning plays with that matter, our guards and defense kind of win our games.”
The boys next game will be on Dec. 14 at 5 p.m. at Chicago Mount Carmel high school against the second best in the state, Kenwood Academy.
“Playing a number two team in the state, nobody believes we can win it, but we have a full week of practice, so I think we can shock the world with this one,” Maggitt said.
