Pacers Squeek by a Win

Written by: Lizzy Franks

            The sport of basketball dates back to 1891, when it was taught by a Canadian gym teacher, James Naismith. Tuesday, January 21st Collier’s JV team walked onto the court with Bonnie Brae. Collier fans were on the edge of their seats watching this exciting and unpredictable game. 

             It's 4:22 in the first quarter, and Collier is winning, 4-0. Watching this game it was clear what sportsmanship there was between these teams.  Coach Mastroly had the same thought: “It was a very evenly matched game between two teams that could be playoff-bound at some point. Sportsmanship was very high on both teams. Even though players played at a high tempo, both teams showed great respect for one another”.

            Collier took and kept a lead until the fourth quarter. There was 1:51 left of the game and we were down 1 with a score of 30-29.  We were at the foul line… suspense filled the room, and tension was high. Dribble… dribble…. shoot, and… score! We were now tied at 30-30. We had 1 more foul shot to go. The ball swung through the air, went right into the basket, but then came right back out the top, not scoring. We were now in overtime. 

            Coach Mastroly shared his point of view “We quickly got a 6-point lead, and held on for a 1-point win. we played really good defense and kept the score low. We made several key steals in the game's last minutes and ensured Bonnie Brae did not get any offensive rebounds, which was key to helping us win.” 

Tuesday's game was suspenseful, exciting, and a fantastic start to the season! 

Pictured left is Keith Goff driving with the ball.

Pictured at right is Jac Campbell preparing for a foul shot.

Photos by Liz Franks