Sequoits Advance to Championship
After a 69-49 victory over the Mustangs, Antioch advances to the regional championship Friday.
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The winning streak continues for the boys varsity basketball team as they took a victory against the Mustangs from Northside College Prep on Wednesday, February 28. Ending their second regional game 69-49, the Sequoits proved their intensity on the court while keeping a consistent lead throughout the night. Junior Jack Gillespie started off the first quarter with a basket and never failed to work hard offensively.
“I think we all took the team kind of lightly at first but we picked it up at the end, ” Gillespie said. “I didn’t play my best but we got the win.”
The first quarter ended with a score of 13-10, with the Sequoits starting to build up their usual intensity. The realization that the game was a fight for the chance at a regional title really initiated more aggression throughout the game. Starting off the second quarter, junior Dan Filippone scored countless free throws foul after foul. Eventually, the gap between points was becoming smaller and smaller as there were many turnovers, resulting in a score of 20-15 in favor of the Sequoits with five minutes left before halftime.
Fortunately, the anticipation of making more shots was overwhelming for Antioch. Within the last two minutes of the second quarter, junior Kevin Tebbe scored to make it 30-24.
“The other team wanted to get into our heads and throughout the game we learned to block it out,” Tebbe said. “We need to improve on not turning over the ball so much and simply playing our style, [because] it gives us the upper hand in an important game, especially in the championship coming up.”
Beginning the third quarter, the Sequoits had a fresh, new attitude. The pace of the game sped up to accommodate for the passion that showed on the court. One second the boys were running one way and another the next. The high energy was able to pressure the Mustangs into fouling numerous times.
“During the second half, we came out fast,” junior Zach Grindley said. “We kept our composure and played our basketball.”
In the final push for a win, the Sequoits score another 26 points to settle the victory 69-49. There was more movement between players, along with stronger passes between teammates. All the energy building up throughout the game turned into intensity in the fourth quarter.
Come support the team at Antioch Community High School Friday, March 2 to watch them as they play for the championship title.
