The Red Sea Returns
Varsity basketball teams battle against FZS during the annual Coaches vs Cancer game
David Richard (12) goes in for a layup over a defender as both teams battle to pull ahead. Liberty prevailed in a close game over South, 55-49.
January 24, 2022
The first Coaches vs. Cancer game in two years resulted in a hard-fought loss for the girls varsity basketball team, a nail-biting win by the varsity boys, and money raised for cancer research. Both teams faced Fort Zumwalt South with the biggest crowd of the year watching, full of people who supported the athletes and the cause.
The girls team played against the Bulldogs, who had a record of 9-5 before facing the Eagles. The Eagles have only won two games so far this season, so the Bulldogs came into the game thinking the win would come easily. The Bulldogs earned their 10th win of the season over the Eagles, but the underdogs gave them a run for their money in the first half where the Eagles were only down by three points at halftime.
The Eagles played great defense, shutting down their best players throughout most of the first half. The Bulldogs weren’t expecting this team to come out ready to play, and were taken by surprise with the hard defense being played on them.
The difference in the first half between the Eagles and the Bulldogs was the amount of turnovers the Eagles had, but the underdogs in this game were showing the Bulldogs they were here to play. At halftime, the score was 31-28, with the Bulldogs in the lead by three.
In the third quarter, the Bulldogs went on a run early in the half, scoring 23 points in this quarter. The Eagles were moving the ball well and taking good shots, but they just weren’t falling, causing them to score only six points in the third quarter.
Not being able to recover from the point difference in the third quarter, the Eagles lost to the Bulldogs, 68-43.
“I’ve coached a lot of games at a lot of schools all over the country. Tonight’s game was in the top five in terms of effort,” Coach Yin, assistant varsity coach for the girls, said.
Even though the girls lost, they played a hard-fought game and gave one of the best teams in their conference a run for their money.
The event moved along as the boys started warming up for their game against South’s team who was 13-1 before facing the Eagles.
From the moment the ball was tipped, the air was charged in the gym with intensity and positivity for the home team. It was a nail-biting game, with the Bulldogs and the Eagles neck and neck the entire competition.
Both teams had strong offensive possessions throughout the game, with senior Jaden Betton taking his time starting the offense and making sure his team was getting good shots off. The game was very physical from the first whistle to the last, making the players earn every point they scored. Going into the second half, the score was tied at 25-25.
During halftime, the cheerleaders performed a staff-student routine where some faculty got to bust a move for the crowd. The student section cheered loudly and picked out their favorite teachers to cheer loudest for. The Belles then performed an emotional piece about fighting inner battles and staying strong that was executed beautifully.
After the halftime performances came what everyone in the student section was waiting for. Senior Cooper Swift walked out into the gym dressed as Moses to part the Red Sea. With one powerful slam of the spirit stick, the whole student section split in half for him to make it up to the top of the bleachers. He earned an energetic roar from the students who were still laying in the bleachers from being split.
With the parting of the Red Sea, the students caught their second wind and were ready to watch the Eagles dominate in the second half.
Coming back into the game, the third quarter was slow on scoring for the Eagles. Much like in the girls game earlier that night, the shots just weren’t falling. South took a lead over the Eagles, 37-31.
The Eagles responded to South’s lead by scoring 24 points in the fourth quarter and ending the game with a slam dunk by senior Adrian Lee after a steal in the last 10 seconds. The final score of the game was 55-49 with the Eagles coming out on top. South fell to 13-2 while the Eagles earned their fifth win in a row and advanced to 10-3, while also ending South’s eight-game winning streak.
“That was the best game of my high school career,” senior Sruthi Ramesh said. “The game, the energy, oh my gosh, it was amazing.”
The student section ran out on the court to celebrate with the men of the hour after the game was over. It seemed as if the whole school was out there in the middle of the court jumping up and down with the winning team.
The Eagles left their school with their spirits high after raising money for a good cause and ending the night in a memorable win.
