After Loss, Boys Basketball Rebounds for Playoff Push

The Hornets are on track to be much improved over last year’s 8-10 finish. Photo Credit: Continental Studios

By JESSICA ABRAJAN and AYAH HASSAN

The boys’ varsity basketball team lost a tough home game 65-53 to Harry Van Arsdale Educational Campus on December 18 in Midwood’s C-Gym. However, their record is still standing strong at 7-2, good for second in the division.

Since the start of the game, the Hornets had been having a rough time. During the third quarter, the score almost reached a 20 point difference between the two teams. The crowd’s eyes filled with worry, as the game felt more and more out of reach. 

Justin Roseboro ’21, a member of the team, said: “At the end of the day, there’s always room for improvement and becoming better than we were last time.”  

Simari Murray ’21, another player, said, “I missed two free throws I could’ve made.”

He was tough on his shot selection. “Taking that shot may not be the best shot,” he said. “That extra pass can go a long way. I just need to be more aggressive and look for the best opportunity for my team.”

Basketball is more than just a game for many of its players. It’s a way of life. Coach Victor Gjecaj, a gym teacher and former Midwood basketball player, has been in love with the sport ever since he was young. Having played and coached for the past 23 years, he said: “Coaching is something I’ve always wanted to do.” 

Gjeca said coaching has taught him many valuable lessons.

“The biggest thing I’ve learned is to be able to communicate with different kids and different personalities,” he said. One of the best things about coaching is being able to “to see the improvement the kids make,” Gjecaj added.

Basketball has also brought together the boys as one united family. 

“Winning a game feels good,” Roseboro said, “but it’s better knowing we did it together. When I look at my teammates on the court, I know that regardless of what is on the scoreboard, we’re not going to be anything less than a family.”

The team practices in the C-Gym three times a week, doing intense drills and warm-ups in preparation for future games. The whole team has different weaknesses and strengths, which is why it is important for them to work together and communicate.

However, juggling school, basketball practice, and everyday activities can be quite a hassle. But the boys have learned how to adapt to the schedule demands and the stress. 

“Controlling your emotions is a huge factor of how you play or what you do,” saidHamza Munir ’21, for example “when you and your teammates don’t play to their true potential, and then you end up losing.” 

For some of the boys, basketball is everything. “I wake up and it’s basketball,” Roseboro said. “I go to sleep and it’s basketball. It’s basketball and school and repeat every day.”

For others, it’s just part of the bigger picture. For Murray, “school comes over everything.”

“I would love to go to college because of basketball,” he said. But, “After college, I don’t see myself playing. I want to be a forensic pathologist.” 

Basketball’s team-centric spirit can have an impact on a player’s life, no matter what they do later on, players said.

“It makes every player better and helps each person grow,” said former Midwood basketball player Elias Dahbali ’20.