Big three leads the Huskies to victory against the Saints in Sweetheart game
In their first game at home in 2020, juniors Jack Chapman, Alston Mason and senior Markell Hood lead the boys varsity team’s effort against Saint Thomas Aquinas on Jan. 31, totaling a combined 72 points and resulting in a win for the Huskies, 74-51.
February 1, 2020
After battling back and forth with the Saints at the start of the game, junior Alston Mason helped the Huskies out to a lengthy lead with the help of senior Markell Hood and junior Jack Chapman. Aquinas called a timeout of 4:35 remaining in the first quarter, the Huskies led the Saints, 9-6.
Coach Ed Fritz said he made an adjustment, altering the Huskies’ play calling after not rebounding well in the first half, helping the team increase the lead, Fritz said.
“I think we started guarding the ball a little bit better and I think we started getting some deflections and rebounds,” Fritz said. “I think that helped us kind of get moving.”
Hood, Chapman and Mason had a strong performance in the game, being the top three playmakers of the game. Junior Ben Fritz was the only other player to score, pitching in two points for the team in the third quarter. Mason led the Huskies in scoring, with 30 points, Hood followed closely behind with 22 points and Chapman chipped in with 20 points.
Mason recognized the team’s strong effort to stay on top throughout the game and the work his fellow teammates put in.
“We really started locking in and trying to get as many stops as possible,” Mason said.
Being the first home boys varsity game of 2020, it was exciting, Hood said, to be playing back in front of the Northwest crowd and the energy that they provided.
“It’s been a while since we have played at home, we have been on the road a lot,” Hood said. “We were really hyped to come into the game and play in front of our crowd.”
Going into halftime, BVNW held on to the lead, 42-25. During halftime, Sweetheart royalty was announced. Senior Ben Hobbs and senior Nora Stoy were crowned king and queen.
“I was not expecting it at all, but it was so cool and an amazing experience,” Hobbs said.
Mason feels particularly strong about the victory against STA, believing that BVNW is among the strongest teams in the Kansas City area.
“I feel good. I feel like we just made a statement to the whole league that we are one of the best teams in the metro,” Mason said.
At the conclusion of the game, the Huskies grabbed the win against the Saints, 74-51. In preparation for future games, Hood said that the team needs to continue to play together and get everyone involved in hopes of making it to state.
“After we win tomorrow, [that would be our] 10th game in a row [of] winning, and we are just building up every day to get to state,” Hood said.
The next boy’s varsity basketball game is scheduled to take place on Feb. 1st against Columbia Hickman at 5:30 p.m. at Notre Dame de Sion.
