Dragon Basketball Returns to the Court!

When Speyer Dragons do something, we give it our all… and that means, when returning to the basketball court after almost two years away, we don't want to do it once -- nope, we pack in TWO games in ONE week! Yes, our Boys Basketball team recently kicked off the competition part of their season with back-to-back games, showing a determination matched only by our Girls Basketball team in their season opener.

Here with the recap of the games are Speyer Boys Basketball Coach (and Grade 3 teacher) Larry Maley and Girls Basketball Coach (and Technology Integrator) Jessica Cathcart:

From Coach Maley:
Recently, the Speyer Middle School Boys Basketball team played its first game against Gaynor. For many of our team members, it was their first organized basketball game. As a team, it was our first experience in a full court with 10-foot hoops, referees, and an opposition. I felt so fortunate to get to witness their first experience in this type of competition.

Despite the new challenges, our students played an excellent game. They worked hard, cheered each other on, and demonstrated the type of team spirit and sportsmanship that makes me very proud to coach them. We closed the gap to three points in the second quarter before Gaynor made a few difficult three-pointers and extended their lead. In the end, the Dragons lost 33-19 but had a great time and held their heads high.

Heading to the court the next day, facing their second opponent in as many afternoons, the Dragons got out to an early lead over Winston Prep behind the swift guard play of Edmund D. and Ripley G. Once again, they faced a three-point deficit at halftime before a barrage of three-pointers from the Winston Prep backcourt put the Dragons down by 10. They continued to work hard throughout the game, forcing turnovers and showing great teamwork from start to finish. The final score was 35-23 Winston Prep.

Basketball is a challenging sport. It involves not only endurance and coordination, but the coordinated efforts of all 5 players at all times. Understanding how to move with and without the ball while being aware of the movements of your teammates even though the pace of the game is constantly changing: these are difficult skills to acquire. As players discover these techniques, the "lightbulbs" that turn on are visible to their coach in a similar way to witnessing a student grasp a math concept for the first time.

In their third game, this one against Cathedral, many lightbulbs turned on for the Speyer Boys Basketball team. In the first quarter, our defense was in such sync that we limited the opposing team to 5 points on only 6 field goal attempts. Throughout the first three quarters of the game, we moved the ball, communicated with our teammates, and applied all the skills we've learned so far this year.

Every member of the team played and were supported enthusiastically by their teammates. This was all accomplished despite having zero practices between this and our previous two games. In the fourth quarter, a few calls and turnovers swung the game in the other direction and we ended up losing the hard-fought game by 12 points, 35-23. Despite the loss, the progress this team is making is clear and we look forward to going for our first victory in our next game.

After each game, I was particularly proud to hear our players asking how soon they could play another game, attempting to have their own practice on the court immediately after the buzzer sounded, and congratulating their opponents on a game well-played. Our Speyer student-athletes have made a strong commitment to a new experience even though we know how many other challenges they take on in their lives.

From Coach Cathcart:
Last week, Speyer's Girls Basketball team boldly stepped out of the comfort zone that is the Speyer gym and faced our first opponents of the season, Gaynor. This game was not only the first of the season, but the first formal basketball game for our entire team. The excitement was palpable among the group as we journeyed to Gaynor.

The girls played tremendously, executing new skills and learning to work together to create shooting opportunities. They played defense with tenacity, even forcing some turnovers, and actively supported one another on and off the court. Even though we weren't able to overtake Gaynor in the end, the girls were proud of their efforts and gracious in defeat, losing to Gaynor by a slim 4 points with a final score of 14-10.

We wish all of our players and coaches good luck as they wrap up the season over the next few weeks — check back for the highlights of their final games! GO DRAGONS!