On Thursday, Jan. 16th, the Berkeley High School boys varsity basketball team played against the Piedmont Highlanders. Berkeley defeated Piedmont, winning the game 65-51.
Berkeley started the game strong, winning the first 12 points, leaving Piedmont with a lot of catching up to do. However, by the end of the first quarter, the Highlanders were back in the running, with Berkeley only up four points going into quarter two.
The second quarter was one of Berkeley’s strongest of the game. Their defense was incredibly strong, with many players getting multiple blocks in a row. “We switched up our defenses a lot,” said Eddie Weber-Stover, a senior small forward. “We wanted to mess with the other team and not let them get too comfortable,” he added.
Further into the second quarter, both the Jacket’s offense and defense were improving, and energy was rising. Junior Point Guard Kavi Jivan was guarding strong, with three blocks in a row. There were a lot of great sequences for Berkeley, and several three pointers from the high point player of the game, Donte Joseph. “I think this was a strong game for us,” Joseph stated. “We played as a real team, and did a good job sharing the ball.”
Continuing the good streak of a balanced attack and protection, the Jackets ended the first half on a high note, the score being 39-26, Jackets leading by 13 points.
“We’ve got a whole new team, we’re still trying to figure ourselves out,” said coach Mike Hudson. “It’s a process, and it’s coming together nicely,” he added.
The third quarter was another high point of the game. Piedmont was unable to make many shots, especially with Berkeley’s growing vibrancy and power. Their intense pressure left little room for error, and early in the third quarter the score gap grew even further.
“It’s been a lot of ups and downs, but we’re really starting to hit a stride now,” Jivan mentioned. “The team’s feeling good about it.”
Weber-Stover had another great block in the third quarter, one example of Berkeley’s strong defensive presence. He mentioned that the team felt connected, stating that the team “played well as an organized group.”
The Jackets ended the third quarter with a 20 point lead against the Highlanders.
The final quarter was a bit slower than the rest. Piedmont slowly began to creep back, but not nearly enough to steal the win from Berkeley. The beginning of the quarter showed a lot of strength from Berkeley, but towards the end there was a bit of a stalemate.
Though the quarter wasn’t quite as energized, the Jackets still secured the victory, winning by 14 points.
“Our energy and effort was a highlight more so than anything,” said Coach Hudson, “I hope to see our seniors close out their high school careers on a high note, and we’re aiming for the league win.”