Every sport has faced the challenges of coming back from lockdown, but the dedicated players on the West Albany boy’s basketball Varsity team have managed to keep the team at full strength even directly after quarantine.
The season ended with six wins and 19 losses, with multiple wins having a difference of over 25 points. The team didn’t end up advancing to state, but were able to play a full season run and get back to a somewhat “normal” basketball season.
“I think our team was excited with how we finished the season,” coach Derek Duman said. “The first time in League we only won one game, the second time we won three games, so that improvement was good and we did it in a pretty exciting fashion.”
The team might not have had a flying start, but they managed to play some impressive games and have a solid season. One successful game was against Lebanon, where a last-minute tying score from the opposing team sent it into overtime, with the Bulldogs pulling ahead and winning by four points.
The team also ended the season with a bang during Senior Night on February 22. This exciting game against North Salem left the two teams tied with only seconds to go in the last quarter, when West player Jordan Stewart scored a three-pointer, winning the game with an impressive buzzer beater and sending the seniors off in triumph. School spirit ran high at this game, not only from the cheerleading team and pep band, but also from the spectators who cheered enthusiastically right up to the final buzzer.
Duman said he is looking forward to next year, with the expectation that most players will stick with it, and that promising players will likely move up from the Junior Varsity and Freshman teams. Summer is an opportunity for the team to get some off-season practice playing with other schools in preparation for next Winter, as well as a chance for the team to enjoy some bonding experiences.
Overall, basketball seems not to have suffered much from lockdown, and the likely state of basketball next year seems hopeful. One of the team captains, junior Jeffrey Hunt, shares Coach Duman’s positive outlook;
“I think next year will be a lot of fun and [it] will be a positive season where we get better,” Hunt said. The team seems to be in a good place for next season, and players, coaches, and spectators alike will eagerly await next Winter.
