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The Primary Boys Basketball Team was looking to remain top-spot league contenders and bounce back after last week's tough loss to Catherine Cook. On Tuesday, the Bulldogs hosted Montessori School of Englewood (MSE) and were quick to respond to their opponent's aggressive play with their hearts on their sleeves. They secured a one-point lead with less than 30 seconds to go. A scramble for a loose ball with 1.3 seconds left resulted in MSE posession. Then, after a foul, MSE had three free-throw attempts. All were missed, resulting in a 20-19 win for the Bulldogs.
The boys faced Near North Montessori School (NNMS) on Thursday, a team that beat the Bulldogs twice in the pre-season. The Bulldogs had to come out with a strong work ethic and play consistent defense if they wanted to beat NNMS. From the tip, all five players on the court played outstanding team defense, hustling NNMS into unforced errors and allowing the Bulldogs to make some early fast-break baskets. NNMS showed good composure as they closed the Bulldogs to within five points. We made some offensive corrections, moving the ball quicker and making some aggressive basket cuts that helped the boys extend their lead to 13 points. With three minutes to go, NNMS made some critical baskets and pressured the Bulldogs into firing some unnecessary shots. Still, the Bulldogs weathered the pressure and took away a four-point victory, 23-19.
This week, the Primary Girls Basketball Team continued its progression with one win and a loss. We suffered a tough defeat against a very tall team from Montessori School of Englewood (MSE). The Bulldogs demonstrated technical and tactical qualities, but unfortunately, the sheer height of their opponents was a clear advantage and the Bulldogs lost 22-12. Still, there’s much to learn after playing such a physical team. Now we can appropriately adapt our strategy when we meet similar teams in the future.
We bounced back from the MSE defeat to beat Near North Montessori School 16-11 on Thursday. It was an extremely close game with both teams demonstrating solid defense and also struggling to make every offensive opportunity count. The girls took it as another learning experience and a motivator to stay 100% focused throughout the whole game. Chloe and Francesca again showed their strengths at shooting and rebounding, with Francesca getting better and better at driving to the basket. Chloe's understanding of offensive positioning has improved, too. Sophia and Natalie's defense advanced, while Caterina, Eva and Jane's confidence at driving and shooting from wide positions has really added to their game. Rania and Iman continue to develop their defensive understanding and also their ability to move the ball quickly on offense.
Next week, both teams play BISC Lincoln Park at home on Tuesday and are headed to St. Sylvester on Thursday.