Hopewell Boys Junior High Basketball Splits Season Opener With Beaver

The 2023-24 Hopewell Boys Junior High Basketball season got underway this afternoon as the Vikings took on Beaver.

The Hopewell Gold Team run away with their game, while the Blue Team couldn’t get their offense going as they dropped their game against the Bobcats.

SUMMARY OF GOLD GAME: 

Coach Biega’s Gold Team (1-0) won by the score of 52-15 with the coaching staff deciding to sit the starters for the entire 4th quarter, allowing the rest of the roster to get valuable playing time.

The difficulty of trying to stop this very talented team is that all five of their starters have the capability of leading the team in scoring on any given game. It’s just of matter who will do so and how long will Biega decide to keep them in the game. It’s nearly impossible to try and defend this team man-to-man because of the quickness of all five players and the ease in which they can drive past their defender. It’s a fun thing to watch if you’re a Hopewell fan, not so much if you’re the opposition, like Beaver was this afternoon.

1ST QUARTER:
*Hopewell wins the tip and Avery Bokor immediately drives to the rim for 2. Hopewell 2-0.
*Nice offensive set, resulting in a James Armstrong layup off a pick-n-roll. Hopewell 4-0.
*The offensive play isos Tre Cameron with his defender and he hits the shot and is fouled. Hopewell 7-0.
*While in a full-court press, Cameron with the steal and takes it coast-to-coast for 2. Hopewell 11-0.
*This time it’s Brody Rock with the steal and a layup. Hopewell 13-0.
*Seconds later we have the same results as Rock goes in for two more. Hopewell 15-0.
*Boo Boo then takes over, following a Cameron miss, Armstrong gets the offensive rebound and puts it back in. Hopewell 17-2.
*Biega dishes down love to Armstrong, who backs in his defender and lays 2 off the glass. Hopewell 19-2.
*Biega misses a jumper, but Armstrong cleans things up with the rebound and layup. Hopewell 21-2.
*The guards once again feed Armstrong down low, who leaves his defender flat footed with a spin move inside. Hopewell 23-2.
*And to end the quarter, Biega beats his man off the dribble and drives in for 2. Hopewell 25-2.

END OF 1ST QUARTER: HOPEWELL 25 BEAVER 2.

2ND QUARTER:
*Hopewell runs an offensive set called “13” and with 4 players spread out into the corners, Cameron blows down the lane for 2. Hopewell 29-2.
*Rock misses a 3 but it’s Biega this time with the offensive rebound and layup. Hopewell 32-4
*Next possession, Biega uses his size to back down his defender and kisses 2 off the glass. Hopewell 36-7.
*They immediately go full-court press and Armstrong steals a pass and takes it in for a layup. Hopewell 38-7.
*Then near the end of the quarter, Aaden Gonzalez gets on the scoreboard as he’s falling to the ground, banks in a shot off the glass. Nice shot.  Hopewell 40-7.

END OF 2ND QUARTER: HOPEWELL 41 BEAVER 11.

3RD QUARTER:
*This time in a half-court trap, Rock with the steal and a layup. Hopewell 47-11.
*Bokor with a strong 2 as he banks in a shot while driving down the right-hand side.  Hopewell 49-13.

END OF 3RD QUARTER: HOPEWELL 49-13.

4TH QUARTER:
*With Beaver trying to press, the Vikings break it, and Maddox Fattore goes in strong to the rim for 2. Hopewell 51-14.

FINAL SCORE: HOPEWELL 52 BEAVER 15

SUMMARY OF BLUE GAME:

This doubleheader actually began with Hopewell’s Blue team taking the court first. Things don’t come as easily for this team as they’re adjusting to junior high basketball and trying to develop an offensive flow.

Despite getting off to a rough start and trailing 8-0, Coach Gaguzis team had a chance in the 2nd quarter to get back into it but were unable to convert on a number of good looks around the rim.

The highlights of today’s game were the continued offensive performance of Zach Sampson and the effort and productivity of Nykyeron Leonara. Despite his team trailing for the entire game, Leonara’s motor was unmatched by anyone on the court as he came up with COUNTLESS steals and a number of rebounds. Leonara was very, very impressive.

1ST QUARTER:
*Hopewell trailed 11-1 before Sampson hit a runner off the glass. That was an offensive move that Sampson went to repeatedly.  Beaver 11-3.

END OF 1ST QUARTER: BEAVER 11 HOPEWELL 3.

2ND QUARTER:
*At the start of this quarter, the Vikings had a number of chances to get back in this game but couldn’t convert chances in the paint.

*Sampson once again drove the left wing and hit two off the glass. Beaver 15-5.

*Sampson drained a deep 2 from the corner. Hopewell 17-7.

HALFTIME BEAVER 19 HOPEWELL 7.

3RD QUARTER:
*Hopewell executes the pick-n-roll perfectly as Sampson finds Leonara for the layup. Beaver 19-9.

*Luke Vukovcan got the ball in the paint and hit a nice spin move. Beaver 23-11.

*Sampson once again knocked down a deep jump shot from the top of the key. Beaver 25-13.

END OF 3RD QUARTER: BEAVER 26 HOPEWELL 13.

4TH QUARTER:
*Ryan Gaguzis drove in the paint and connected for two. BEAVER 31-15.

*Hopewell defense turns to offense as Jaxen Covalt comes up with the steal and goes in for a layup. BEAVER 31-17.

*Late in the game, Leonara grabs an offensive rebound and puts it back in for two. BEAVER 33-19.

FINAL SCORE: BEAVER 33 HOPEWELL 19.

The Hopewell Boys junior high team is back in action this Friday as they travel to Beaver Falls.