The Daegu Middle High School (DMHS) Warriors visited the Jetnasium for round two of a midseason matchup last Tuesday, Jan. 16th. A crowd of DIS and DMHS supporters filled the bleachers that evening as the Student Athletic Advisory Committee sold pizza and beverages for hungry fans. The Jets sought revenge against the Warriors after DIS’ previous loss in December. 

The DMHS roster stacked above DIS in sheer size alone, as their 6’ 3” 250lb freshman center towered over senior Dylan Wang. The physical differences between the two teams left DIS at a disadvantage. Nevertheless, determined to beat their cross-town rivals, the starting five, Ethan Rossmeisl (number 5) PG, Justin Son (number 24) SG, Dylan Wang (number 1) SF, Colin Ji (number 99) PF, and Haydn Mangione (number 30) C, warmed up for the tip-off.

The game began as Ethan Rossmeisl stole the first jump ball. DIS started strong as Haydn Mangione made tough buckets around the post against the man-to-man defense. Soon, the Warriors switched back to the 2-3 zone defense and regained their momentum. The quarter ended 9-10, with DMHS up by a single point.

Unlike December, DIS handled the pressure much better. The Warriors extended their lead in the second quarter, and the Jets constantly bounced back. Colin Ji hit an important 3-pointer in transition, and the team caught a glimpse of victory. DMHS held their ground and the first half ended with the Jets down by 10 (33-23).

After Coach Kaschub’s brief speech, the squad prepared to take it back. For most of the third quarter, the Jets kept the flow going. After several difficult shots hit by Mangione and Ji, the third ended with a score of 45-36, DMHS still in the lead.

Only down by single digits headed into the fourth, DIS looked to turn the tides and clinch a win. Unfortunately, the Warriors went on a scoring spree through transition layups and turnovers. With four minutes left on the clock and the Jets down by 14, the JV players stepped in to play during garbage time. In the end, the scoreboard flashed 65-48, a win for DMHS.

 “It was really exciting because the crowd was really excited, we were much closer than last time. I could tell that the other team was scared, and it felt really good because I felt like we could pull it together. It felt so good [making the difficult shots] because every single time, the other team was like, ‘there is no way it was gonna go in,’ but it went in, and I love that feeling,” said the fan favorite of the friendly, Haydn Mangione.

The Warriors gave it their all. “It was good, it was competitive, and we got great game experience. These guys came out stronger, better and played with more energy. Today, I think 99 played the best. He’s strong and he got a good shot going on him too,” Adrian Tagalog (number 0), DMHS team captain, said.

The Jets showed great energy and a significant amount of improvement. The hard work from the coaches and the DIS varsity squad paid off. Now the Jets vie for the championship trophy at SKAC and KISAC at the end of February.