Mike Vukovcan Hopewell Township– The Hopewell 8th Grade Basketball team has been endured in a losing streak that’s been difficult to break.
This can be difficult for teenage kids knowing that they’re putting in the work but aren’t getting any positive results in the standings.
Despite this, credit these players for continuing to scrap and battle every game and never giving up or going through the motions. In the sport of basketball, it would be very easy to see if the players were not engaged or competing, but this teams credit that has not been the case.
This afternoon against Moon was a perfect example of this. Despite falling behind 14-0 to start the game, the Vikings continued to play hard and after falling behind by fourteen, Hopewell played on even ground with Moon as they each scored 33 points the rest of the way.
Unfortunately, the 14-point hole was too much to overcome as Moon went on to defeat Hopewell, 47-33.
1st Half Recap:
*Trailing 14-0, Andrew Arzberger scored the Vikings first points of the game as he brought down an offensive rebound and went up strong for a layup, Moon 14-2.
*Later in the quarter, Roman Crisci made the basket of the game as he drove the lane, dribbled behind his back and as he fell backwards, threw up a shot in the lane, Moon 14-4.
*After another defensive stop, Zack Sampson knocked down a corner jump shot, Moon 14-6.
*The first quarter ended on an 8-0 Hopewell run when the Vikings broke a Moon trap with nice passing as Crisci dribbled it up, passed over to Luke Vukovcan, who found Sampson with a nice bounce pass under the basket for a layup, Moon 14-8.
End of 1st Quarter- Moon 14 Hopewell 8
*The run extended to 10-0 as Josh Gill came up with a steal, dribbled down, took a midrange jumper, missed it, but Sampson grabbed the offensive rebound and put it in for 2, Moon 14-10.
*After a Moon 3-pointer, Hopewell got 3 points of their own as Braxton Pinto found Vukovcan down low, who made the shot and was fouled, Luke went on to make the free throw, Moon 17-13.
*Moon ended the quarter on a 7-0 run as Hopewell struggled with Moon’s full-court press, which was the Vikings biggest problem all game. A LARGE MAJORITY of Moon’s baskets came from their defensive pressure. If Hopewell would have been able to beat the press and allow Moon to run a halfcourt offense, the final score would’ve been a lot closer.
Halftime- Moon 24 Hopewell 13
2nd Half Recap:
*Moon started the 2nd half on an 8-0 to extend their lead to 20 points.
*The first points of the half came courtesy a 3-pointer from Sampson, Moon 32-15.
*More Sampson as the Vikings break the press as Vukovcan dribbles up and fires a pass into the corner to Sampson who drains another 3, Moon 35-18.
*Later in the quarter, same things, Vukovcan dribbles up and gets it down to Pinto, who converted a nice up and under shot, Moon 40-20.
*Then at the end of the 3rd quarter, Ryan Gaguzis heaved up a shot from just inside the midcourt line for a buzzer beater 3-pointer, 23-44.
End of 3rd Quarter- Moon 44 Hopewell 23
*Sampson goes misses a jumper, but Arzberger grabs the offensive board and finishes the layup, Moon 44 Hopewell 25.
*Sampson with a nice turnaround jump shot from the baseline, Moon 44 Hopewell 27.
*Following a Moon 3-pointer, Vukovcan hits one of his own from the top of the key, Moon 47 Hopewell 30.
*As the 3rd quarter buzzer was about to go off, Jaxsen Covalt drained a 3-point shot from near midcourt, Moon 47 Hopewell 33.
FINAL SCORE: Moon 47 Hopewell 33
The 8th grade boys will return to action on Monday as they’ll host a talented Eden Christian Academy team at the Junior High School.
