Boys Basketball Bests Big Blue at Barclays

A whirlwind weekend of basketball for the boys varsity team concluded with a memorable day at the Barclays Center that included a hard-fought win over Andover and then an afternoon watching the following NBA game.

As part of a full-day experience organized by head coach Yassine Talhaoui, the Bearcats (5-1) held on for a tough 54-51 victory over the Big Blue in the morning, and then after lunch watched the Brooklyn Nets hammer the visiting Atlanta Hawks, 144-127.

“The entire day was great, from our team breakfast and the walk from our hotel to the Barclays, to playing the game and enjoying being up close at the NBA game,” said Talhaoui. “If I had to choose the best part, however, I'd say beating a tough and very talented Andover team on an NBA court.”

The contest came on the heels of the team’s pair of games at the BasketBull HoopsFest, where the team dropped its first game to perennial power Wilbraham & Monson on Friday, but rebounded with a win over St. Luke’s (Fairfield, Conn.) on Saturday.

The event included more members of the Hotchkiss community than just the varsity team, with several alumni, current families, and prospective families attending both the morning and afternoon activities.

“The support of our current parents, alumni, and friends was remarkable,” said Talhaoui.

Despite the narrow margin, the Bearcats led for nearly the entire game against Andover. Talhaoui credited the team for its defensive effort, which held Andover’s top scorer to single digits on the day. Hotchkiss was able to turn many defensive stops into transition opportunities, feeding into the team’s desire to play up-tempo basketball.

Although this was the first year for the event, Talhaoui said that he hoped the two teams could establish an annual tradition of playing at a neutral site. “The feedback has been phenomenal and I was incredibly proud of the way our players and guests represented Hotchkiss!” he said.

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