The high school basketball varsity team headed to Camp Walker for their first official friendly match of the 24-25 season on Jan. 22. Despite the absence of the junior varsity (JV) team, the players stepped onto the base, excited for the inaugural game of the year. Unlike last year’s dominance by the DMHS Warriors, the Jets nearly claimed victory but fell short by a two-point difference.
Extra practices and scrimmages prepared the boys to jump into the court with solid teamwork. “I really enjoy the extra practices we have every Sunday from 1-4. Especially since we only have half the gym during regular practices, having this opportunity to play in a full court helps the team improve a lot,” said sophomore Noah Hwang.
The squad started off the match with gusto. From YiManuel Cortez (number 24)’s first bucket for the Jets with a three-pointer, and tight defense that locked up the Warriors’ offense, the team seemed to dominate the court. However, the players lost their footing, allowing DMHS a 10-0 run. The quarter ended 16-7, with DMHS up by nine points.
The second quarter stacked up the odds against the Jets. Tough shots from the Jets hindered their scoring efficiency, while the Warriors moved the ball quickly for easier buckets. However, by the end of the quarter, the Jets found their footing and entered the second half down by only six points (25-19).
Only down by two possessions, the Jets began to plot a dynamic overturn in the third quarter. Ethan Rossmeisl (number 5) swooshed in points from layups to three-pointers, closing the lead. Nonetheless, the Warriors also continued with their fierce offense, and rapid turnovers required the players to pull through their dwindling stamina. By the end of the quarter, the Jets further closed the gaps (40-35).
In the last eight minutes of the game, the Jets stepped onto the court, determined to battle for their first victory against DMHS. Haydn Mangione (number 56) dominated inside the paint, drawing out countless fouls and converting them into free throws. Seniors Colin Ji (number 0) and Ethan Rossmeisl led the squad, maintaining their focus.
With 20 seconds left on the clock, the Jets lagged by two points. Backed into a corner, the players sprinted for a full-court press.
Beep. A foul call from the referee; the Warriors earned two free throws. Swoosh. Both buckets landed in the hoop, widening the score gap.
With 14 seconds left on the clock and four points to catch up, Coach Kaschub called in a timeout, and the crew gathered up for a promised play. Back in the court, Ethan Rossmeisl secured the ball and shot from the three-point line. The bench members let out a sigh of disappointment as the ball struck the rim and bounced off out of bounds by a Warriors defender.
Nine seconds left. Ji passed the ball in from the baseline and got a return. He shot a three-pointer, but the ball bounced off the rim and returned back. Ji leaped for another shot but got blocked, with a foul drawn. With 0.8 seconds left, Ji earned three free throws. A glimpse of hope flashed in the team’s eyes, but the game sadly ended with scores of 56-54, a two-point loss.
“After calling a timeout, Mr. Kaschub gave us a promised play, so that I can get the ball from the deep three. I got the ball, I shot, and I got the rebound but then Jude (Warriors defender) blocked me and I got a foul. I had three free throws, so I had to make two free throws, and hit the last shot off the rim and make it in. I threw the ball, but I crossed the line before the ball hit the rim, so the plan sadly failed,” said Ji.
Both teams showed respect and gratitude for the performance they executed on the court. “I felt pretty confident that we were going to win, and we managed to do so, but the game was very intense, and DIS pulled off a good performance,” said sophomore Jude Velasquez, a player of the DMHS Warriors.
Although the Jets faced a bitter loss at the end, the close point margin left hope for victories in future scrimmages. The squad plans to reflect on the game and improve even further for the upcoming Korean International School Activities Conference (KISAC) tournament from Feb. 13 to Feb. 15 and South Korea Association of International Schools (SKAIS) on March 1.
