Warriors spear the Jets

High school varsity basketball travels to DMHS for first friendly of the season

Ethan Rossmeisl, Section Editor

January 11, 2024

Ethan Rossmeisl (number 5) marches up the court as the main ball handler. The offense moves forward from his decisions to dish off a pass.

To kick off the new sports season, the boys basketball team drove across town for their first matchup at Daegu Middle High School (DMHS) for a friendly on December 12th. Due to more experience from their previous six bouts, the DMHS squad held the upper hand. Regardless, the Jets looked to start off strong and take the win.

Justin Son (number 24) cuts to the basket to keep the offense flowing. Justin works to get himself open as an option for an easy 2-points. (Sunny Oh)

The varsity starting lineup of Ethan Rossmeisl (number 5) at point guard, Dylan Wang (number 1) at power forward, Justin Son (number 24) at shooting guard, Colin Ji (number 99) at small forward, and Haydn Mangione (number 30) at center stepped onto the court for the tip-off. The ref tossed the ball into the air, but the 6/4” Warriors center bodied Mangione. The two teams went neck and neck for the first 8 minutes. They exchanged shot after shot as the first quarter ended with DMHS in the lead: 20-14.

Ethan Rossmeisl (number 5) elevates to finish at the rim through contact. The referee calls a foul for Ethan to make it a 3-point play for the Jets. (Sunny Oh)

The Jets started hot to begin the second quarter. DIS caught back up as the scoreboard flashed 20-19. However, DMHS changed their strategy and switched to a full-court press. Caught off guard by the aggressive defense from the Warriors, the varsity boys fumbled multiple passes and gave up 20 points from turnovers alone. The Jets failed to handle the pressure and trailed behind by 25 at the end of the first half: 46-21.

Haydn Mangione (number 30) warms up with 3 pointers for the upcoming game. He practices perfect form to knock it down from deep. (Sunny Oh)

After a brief break, the boys jumped back in to start the second half. The third quarter zoomed by as DMHS made easy buckets as a result of the steals obtained through their tough as nails defense. The period ended with DIS in a major deficit heading into the fourth: 66-29.

With the outcome already settled due to the giant score gap, both coaches played the bench members in garbage time. DMHS and DIS scored 12 and 7 more points respectively in the final quarter and the game ended with a Warrior’s victory and the score of 78-36.

Even with the point differences, DMHS fought hard for the victory. “I was really tired. DIS played at a fast pace so it was hard keeping up. I think number 5 was the best player. He controlled the DIS offense and hit tough shots. I think friendlies are great. It’s a good way to get more game experience and play more teams,” said Adrian Tagalog (number 0), the DMHS boys basketball captain, about the scrimmage.

Dylan Wang (number 1), team captain, squares up in a defensive stance to shut down any driving opportunities. He gets low and balances to react to his opponent’s move. (Nayoung Kim)

Coach Kaschub and the squad learned from the mistakes they made against DMHS. “We got beat by quite a few points. It was not a pretty game for the Jets for the first game against DMHS. But there was a lot of improvement. They played quite well and they put a lot of pressure on us and we didn’t handle that well, but even some of the things we didn’t do well we improved a lot throughout the game. A lot of players expressed interest right after the game that they want to get back into work and they want to keep playing and improving,” said Mr. Kaschub, DIS head basketball coach.

Brandon Hyun (number 21) lines his feet for the free throw. Brandon performs his routine of bouncing the ball to get into rhythm and swish the shot. (Sunny Oh)

Rather than quit and lose hope, the Jets seek revenge against the Warriors in the next friendly match on Tuesday, January 16th. DIS hopes to pack the Jetnasium with fans. The cheer team, and the Illusion Dance ensemble will perform at halftime.

About the Contributors

Ethan Rossmeisl, Section Editor

From Varsity Basketball to Model United Nations, Ethan Rossmeisl displays proficiency in anything he sets his sights on. For a decade, with his wide range of talents, Ethan dominated all grounds. He portrayed Superman. Now, he adopts the alter ego of Clark Kent - a writer for the Jets Flyover. Chess club president and all-star medalist in KISAC, Ethan checkmates each article with brilliant sacrifices and strategies marked through each sentence. His ubiquity and endurance in the league of journalists give him an upper hand in updating the DIS community light-speed.

Sunny Oh, Photographer / Designer

Sunny opens another chapter of her life as a photographer and designer on the Jets Flyover staff. With priceless memories and experiences as a yearbook staff member last year, she starts her new journey as the editor-in-chief, aspiring to bring the yearbook to the next level. Sunny loves music, dance, art, and sports, especially volleyball. She contributes her passion for aesthetics to the JetsFlyover and anticipate the future of the program.

Nayoung Kim, Broadcast Journalist

Nayoung Kim, president of Greenpeace, Eco-lution, and Peer Tutoring Club, shares her vivid passion for the environment and contemporary issues with the ear of the school community. Her brand new, popular podcast raises awareness and acts as a call for help to aid the world in becoming a better place. This year, she collaborates with Greenpeace, to bring new monthly podcast episodes to the community. Also, a famous second-year Jet Stream Host, her enthusiasm to engage with the DIS community and spread the news boosts the energy of the school.