Boys Basketball Dominates Robeson
Liran Cohen ’20 hits a three in the third quarter. Photo Credit: Faiezene Zaman
By FAIEZENE ZAMAN and ARTHUR YAKIR
Boys Varsity Basketball came up with a dominating 72-55 win against Paul Robeson Campus on February 3 at Midwood, bringing the team’s record to 11-6.
Thierry Blyden ’20 put on a spectacular performance with 21 points and 6 assists, making contested shots, crazy dribbles, and crucial passes throughout the game. Blyden also scored his 1,000th career point.
“It felt amazing,” he said. “One thousand points isn’t something that anyone could do. I’m in the gym every single day, and I’m glad that hard work is paying off.” Coach Victor Gjecaj called a timeout to celebrate Blyden’s accomplishment, and teammates applauded while the crowd cheered.
Although the team has a 3-point shooting mentality, they switched up their tactics for this game. “We actually forced them to shoot 3-pointers because that’s their biggest weakness,” Mr. Gjecaj said. “We were able to play inside and take away their inside, which helped us get the win.”
From the beginning of the game, the Hornets seemed to be in control, ending the first quarter up 13-8.
The second quarter heated things up. Piter Chernychko ’20 hyped up the crowd, taking on defenders with snapping dribbles that sent them stumbling and struggling to keep up with him. “They were playing man-to-man defense, and I was aggressive,” he said. “I wasn’t planning anything specifically. I just take advantage of whatever the defense gives me.”
Towards the end of the second quarter, Midwood gave away a lot of sloppy free points, which gave Robeson hope. But Mr. Gjecaj responded. “I made a couple of substitutions and told the guys to stop reaching,” he said.
During the third quarter, it became a really exciting game, with both teams believing they could grab the victory. As Robeson put more pressure on Midwood, their double-teaming slowed down the Hornet offense. Mr. Gjecaj used a timeout, and afterward, the team started looking for corner shots. It paid off, and Midwood was able to extend their lead.
Liran Cohen ’20 was an important figure throughout the match. He linked up well with his teammates, incorporating shots from outside the paint that had the crowd at the edge of their seats and the cheerleaders screaming.
“I love that feeling when everyone is behind you,” he said. “Honestly, man, this crowd is the best crowd in PSAL.” Cohen finished the game with 17 points.
The team stepped out for the fourth quarter with the same tactics, looking to get diagonal passes towards the corners, into the hands of their sharp-shooters. Midwood was also able to stay strong and focused on defense.
“I always feel like the offense comes off the defense,” said Mr. Gjecaj. “If we can stop the other team, we are always going to get our points.”
The Hornets have already qualified for the playoffs and will finish their regular season against Telecommunications Arts & Technology at Midwood. They hope to continue this momentum going into the playoffs and get the highest playoff seeding possible.