Jump Shots Past The Competition

Senior Alfonso Hidalgo shooting the ball. Photo by PJ Montezuma.

Jacob Martino
Haley Dowdie
P.J. Montezuma

The Malden High School boys varsity basketball team has started off their season with a record of 3-1. This season’s team has strong starters and a bench to back them up. Senior captain, Witchie -Valence Exilhomme stated, “One that can replace the starters any minute,” referring to the bench. When asked who do you see with the most potential, Exilhomme answered sophomore Bryan Mitchell, freshman Anthony Gilardi, junior Tommy Steele, and junior Rodney Morton. Morton is going to be next year’s captain. When freshman varsity player, Anthony Gilardi was asked what is it like being a freshman on the varsity team he said, “They treat me well, it is just I am always last at everything we do because coach is all about seniority but other than that it is a great experience.” During the team’s first game, junior Terrance Maironneure scored 43 points out of the teams 68 and sealed the win against Westfield High School on Dec. 16, 2011.

During the MHS winter vacation, the boys varsity basketball team played Winthrop High School and Wakefield High School in a two day Christmas Tournament on Dec. 27 and 28 2011. The team put forth great effort and played two extremely intense games, one of which resulted in a victory for MHS. In the game against Winthrop, Malden successfully won with a total of 55 points scored compared to their opponent’s 51 points. Though the score was close, Malden was able to maintain a strong offense and defense, which resulted in their victory. Senior Alfonso Hidalgo, Morton, junior Terrance Maironneure, Gilardi, senior Hiago De Sena, and Exilhomme scored two and three pointers throughout the game with assistance from their fellow teammates. In the game against Wakefield however, Malden was not as successful. Wakefield earned a total of 67 points and Malden 52 points. Scoring for Malden were players De Sena, Morton, Mitchell, Gilardi, Maironneure, Hidalgo , and Exilhomme. At the end of the tournament De Sena and Morton were awarded Players of the game.

With any MHS sport, commitment to the sport and the team is the key to success. For the basketball team this commitment has also resulted in their close relationship to each other. Morton admitted “my teammates have become my second family.” After months of practicing and playing together the boys have grown closer and share the same goals. Last year the varsity boys basketball team was unable to move to the state tournament, this season the team aspires to “make it to the state tournament,” said Morton, as well as do well in the Greater Boston League (GBL) Championship. Overall, the basketball team wants to perform well and reach their full potential as a team. Of course to reach these goals the team will have to do everything “from running hard in practice and playing with a purpose,” said Morton.