Splash! Another three-pointer goes into the basket for varsity boys’ basketball, whose offense helped secure victory at this year’s Battle of the Birds. The Cardinals defeated the Washington Eagles 49–41 on Jan. 13 at Kezar Stadium.
In the first quarter, the Cardinals started strong, taking control of the ball after winning the tip-off. Immediately after, senior guard Maxwell Hum drained a three-pointer to begin the Cards’ offense. But, the Eagles came back, and the first quarter ended with both teams tied at 12–12.
In the second quarter the Cardinals quickly took the lead with another three-pointer from Hum. The Cardinals retrieved many rebounds and extended their lead. In one particular play, junior guard Kevin Fok grabbed the rebound and passed to Hum, who made the layup. They pulled ahead of the Eagles at the end of the first half, leading 26–22.
The third quarter was jump-started by another three-pointer by Hum, who had the game-high of 16 points. The Cards maintained their lead with more scoring from Fok, who had the second-highest of 15 points in the game. In addition, the team kept Eagle scoring to a minimum, with the other team only making five points while Lowell made 11, extending the Cardinal lead to 37–27.
Fok with the layup! 35-25 Cards #BOTB17 https://t.co/fZu32WOf3N
In the fourth quarter, the Cardinals continued their strong offense, with senior center Isaac Finestone scoring the first points of the quarter. However, they allowed the Eagles gain 11 points in the quarter. But, it didn’t matter, as the Cardinals still maintained the lead and sealed a victory with two converted free-throw attempts by junior guard Abhishek Khadka, who scored the final points of the game. At the end of the game, the team took home a 49–41 win over the Eagles.
GAME: Vars boys win 49-41 over the Eagles. #BOTB17 https://t.co/WXIjYXAMfY
The team cites its offense as the reason for the win. “We took care of the ball a little better, [and] shot the ball a little better than we have all season.” head coach Robert Ray said.
The seniors on the team felt especially happy with the win.“This is my last Battle of the Birds as a senior,” Hum said. “We haven’t won in three years, so I feel really good.”
On Jan. 18, Lowell played against Wallenberg Bulldogs at Kezar Stadium, where the Cardinals won 48–39. Their next game is on Friday at Lowell at 5:30 p.m. against the Balboa Buccaneers.
