The 15-passenger Country School van was abuzz with energy as it eased onto the northbound lane of Interstate 95. Actually, that should be caps-lock energy: ENERGY. It was, for lack of a more apropos adjective, loud.

With only three returning Sixth Graders from last season’s JV squad, this represented the first time this specific group of twelve had boarded a bus with the opportunity to spend 50 excited minutes together en route to that compelling challenge that faces all interscholastic sports teams: the away game.

Moments later, that excited energy became suddenly and contagiously organized as Bruno Mars’ “Die With a Smile” crackled onto the radio:

And just like that, in one simple lyric I realized we’d become a team. This crooning group of boys liked each other, and they were right in their lyrical harmony. Wherever we go this season, there we will be. The thirteen of us (we were missing one of our teammates for our opener). The questions will remain: who will we become? What role will each of us play in the writing of this season's story?

And there we were. Fifteen of us (Athletic Director Mr. Behr joined us for the ride) as we strode proudly into Pine Point’s gymnasium and began our pregame routines. 

One big component of any season-opening game is the establishment of a rotation. With six of our twelve players participating in their first basketball game of any kind, it was imperative that we focus on ensuring players were put in positions to be successful.

“All we can ask for is that we play hard, communicate well, and support each other with our positive attitudes,” Coach McDonough reminded the team before the opening tip, and play hard this team did. Whether players were seasoned veterans or freshly-minted rookies, everyone did their part to stay engaged throughout the contest.

In the early going of the game, neither team could break through, with the 0-0 scoreboard lasting for the first two minutes. Finally, Pine Point corralled an offensive board and got the put back to go down taking an early 2-0 lead. From there, they ratcheted up the defense with a full court press on the young Owls. Startled by the sudden assault, a quick turnover led to an and one layup and a 5-0 deficit. In reflecting on this surprise tactic (and, frankly, one which seemed a little aggressive for the first game of the season), Athletic Director Steve Behr noted, “sure, they pressed, but they really didn’t capitalize on it very well.” And that was true. With 6th Graders Oliver Molloy and Kyle Jacobson, as well as 5th Grader Gideon McDonough manning the point guard position, the Owls were able to ensure they set up their offense each time up the floor despite the pressure. 

The real success of the first quarter was that that quick flurry of points in transition was the only score as the 5-0 score lasted for the game’s first 8:00. Thanks to interior defensive stops by Edward Barney and Ben Nathanson, Sam Gagliardi tapped a number of errant shots by the Panthers right into the hands of Mason Brown whose veteran presence on the block was paramount in securing a number of defensive rebounds in the first frame.

The scoring ramped up for both teams, though, in the second quarter. Speedy 5th grade guard Cam McNamara zipped his way through the open court after knocking a pass away (one of many steals he’d have in the game) and banked in a running layup, followed quickly by some nifty footwork and a sweeping scoop shot from Harper Merrill. These buckets wouldn’t close the score much, though, as the Panthers continued to hit nearly every outside shot they took. Oliver Molloy drew an important foul on a midrange jumper and split the free throws, ending the half down 11-5. 

At the half, Coach McDonough stressed the importance of staying focused. The refs had been calling a very tight game and a handful of players were already in foul trouble. Furthermore, McDonough reminded the boys that, while inexperienced led to some of the fouls and turnovers, one of the real strengths of the team comes from the variety of skilled athletes the squad has who have other sports as their real passions; watching Sam Collins and Jake Svitila’s soccer acumen resonate on the hardwood was a revelation. The fans who’d made the trip up I-95 delighted in their creative approaches to defense and the tenacious turnovers they forced throughout the half.

The second half continued in a similar fashion; while the full court pressure didn’t result in Panther points, it did stall the offense pretty successfully. A few near misses on full-court passes to teammates from Cam McNamara reminded us of great things to come (think “Hail Mary out of bounds plays”!), and another bucket from Harper Merrill ensured the team wouldn’t be held scoreless again. On the left wing, Logan Maloney served as a lockdown defender, batting away a few passes that came his way and playing sound defense in his first game for TCS. Kyle Jacobson was another highlight of the quarter, taking the primary ball handling responsibilities as foul trouble kept a few of his teammates on the bench. 

With a score of 19-7 entering the final frame, Coach McDonough challenged the players to give 100% on every play, whether offense or defense. The result of this was a quarter in which the team scored 10 points. The offense came alive behind the confident shooting of 5th Grader Gideon McDonough whose combination of mid-range shots and inside scoring earned him three important baskets. Kyle Jacobson also hit a jump stop floater in the lane and Sam Collins banked in a foul line jump shot of his own after splitting the defense.

With everyone playing at least 8 minutes in the game, the box score’s 30-17 defeat hardly tells the whole story. Real victories are measured in growth and watching the combination of veteran savvy and poise, as well as newfound confidence (especially from our players who had never played in an organized game before) ensured our next game will be a real opportunity to build on this one.

After the buzzer sounded, Coach McDonough praised the team for their resilience: “It is hard to lose a game, but you learn lots more about yourself in defeat than in victory. I am confident our team can build on this and continue to show up for one another both in practice and in our next game. We’re a better team than we were an hour ago, and that’s all you can really ask for.”

Overall, scorers in the game were Gideon McDonough (6), Harper Merrill (4), Kyle Jacobson (2), Sam Collins (2), Cam McNamara (2), Oliver Molloy (1). Assists, rebounds, steals and blocks, while not denoted in the score book, were dished, secured, tapped and tipped by a variety of players, each of whom should feel really proud and confident for their efforts. The ride home was quite a bit quieter than the ride to Stonington, but one thing is certain: wherever the leadership of this young team goes, everyone who wears the TCS jersey will follow.

The team plays a rematch against this same Pine Point squad at home on Tuesday 1/28 at 3:30 in DeFrancis Gymnasium.