On Tuesday, Jan. 21, the Archie Williams boys varsity basketball team played their third Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) game against the Terra Linda High School Trojans. Despite a challenging start, the Falcons achieved a win in the fourth quarter with a final score of 57-52.
The game started with the Falcons winning the tip-off and exchanging many quick passes leading up to their first point. Junior guard James Butler and a Trojan player scored the first two baskets, tying the game 2-2.
“[It felt] pretty good [to score]. [My] teammates pass[ed] the ball well, so I was able to get easy shots. Hopefully, we go undefeated for the rest of the MCAL,” James said.
The game’s pace rose, with many fouls and multiple baskets from both teams in a short sequence. Junior guard Grady Stewart made several shots, and junior forward Alex Hamlet broke the tie with a three-pointer, bumping the score to 7-11. When the game seemed to have a pause, Grady stole the ball and drove it to the basket, scoring and ending the first quarter 9-11.
After a brief break, the second quarter started, and the Trojans regained possession with the Falcons playing defense. With little time wasted, the Trojans scored twice, but with a quick bounce back by Grady, the score became 11-16. The Falcons fouled a Trojan player, earning them two free throws and widening the score gap 11-18.
The game escalated as the Falcons and Trojans exchanged shots, with a final basket from James ending the first half 18-24.
After a 10-minute break and pop performance from the Archie Williams Dance Troupe bringing up the energy of the crowd, the third quarter began. The Trojans started with the ball, and shortly after, a Trojan player and James traded three-pointers, shifting the score to 21-27 in the Trojans’ favor. The matchup between the two teams included many fouls and multiple baskets from both teams, with the score reaching 36-39.
“At half time… my coach push[ed] me [to] keep my head up, play my best… so in the second half, we came out resilient and forced turnovers, which managed to [work] out and scored [us] a lot of points, and [we] won. I’m confident in our team. We’ve been playing good all season [only] a tough couple losses early in the MCAL,” Grady said.
With seconds of the nail-biting third quarter left, sophomore guard Kingston Weinberg was fouled, allowing him to sink three free throws, ending the quarter with a tie 39-39.
Tensions were high as the Trojans started the fourth and final quarter, but the Falcons, determined to break the tie and win, turned the game around completely despite the Trojans’ lead in the first half. With many baskets from both teams and several fouls, senior guard Shyama Dean scored the final basket, finalizing the Falcons’ win with the score 57-52. Boys varsity basketball team coach Russell Bauer expressed his relief that his team won the game and his pride in his team.
“This game was a big sigh [of] relief. Terra Linda played a very tough, gritty, and physical game. I’m looking forward to see[ing] how this team can come together… I’m really honored to coach… this really tight-knit group of boys,” Bauer said.
The team’s next game will take place Friday, Jan. 24, at 7 p.m. at San Marin High School against the San Marin Mustangs.
