Abideen Jallow
January 29
Staff Reporter
Shoes squeak, the shot clock sounds, the crowd roars: this is the sound of a high school rivalry basketball game between Atholton and Reservoir. Every year students from across all Howard County schools are excited to attend one of the best games of the season. The rivalry game that occurred on January 24 was an intense game to watch.
Coach Albert, varsity basketball head coach, was able to accomplish beating the varsity Reservoir basketball team last year. He was hoping to achieve the same thing this year by coming into the game with a strong mentality and toughness in order to get the job done.
“This game is important because it is a game a lot of people attend, where the winning school gets bragging rights,” said senior Cedric Briken, the varsity shooting guard. Players from both teams are always hyped to compete in the nail-biting rivalry; the games always sell out.
The energy in the basketball gym was like no other, especially since the game sold out during the junior varsity game. Pre-game music was loud and energizing to go along with the chatter of everyone in attendance. Fans taunt each other and talk trash as the momentum of the game rises.
“I got extra shots up at the gym to sharpen my jumpshot,” said junior Justin Jennings, the varsity small forward. Even though every game is important, this game just has an energy that can’t be described unless you’re playing or watching. With the stakes the game holds, a game like this could be the turning point for the direction of the season.
However, the large crowd doesn’t seem to faze the game of Senior RJ Brown, the varsity point guard. He said he feels as though he knows what he is capable of and can display that on the court. This type of mindset is what a team needs when faced with a challenge like this. Everyone has to be at their best to ensure the team comes out with a win.
This rivalry game ended in Reservoir taking the win over Atholton with a score of 60-47. It was an uphill battle that was within reach at several points in the game, but Reservoir was able to pull away and secure the win. Reservoir now stands at 2nd place in the county and Atholton stands at 6th place in the county. There’s still a lot of games left to play, so anything could happen.
Playoffs are now on the rise and many people are looking forward to this eventful time. The turnout of the regular season could be unexpected as records are pretty close within the county. No matter what Atholton will have a chance to dominate in the playoffs.
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