Ryo Miyake staff writer
The boys basketball team won their first game of the season against the Oakwood Guerillas on Nov. 17. The final score was 70-44.
Forward senior Jac Mani scored the first basket of the game, driving into the lane and finishing it off with a left-handed layup. However, the Normans struggled for the first few minutes with multiple turnovers, which made head coach Jarvis Turner call a timeout within the first three minutes of the game.
“We started the game off a little slow, but [we] picked it up throughout the game. I caught early fouls, but my teammates stepped up big time and played really well. Overall, I thought we played a good game,” Mani said.
The Normans eventually took the lead and finished the first quarter, with sophomore guard Lior Baradarian scoring a three-point buzzer-beater and bringing the score to 19-15.
The Normans scored 20 more points during the next eight minutes of the second quarter, bringing the score up to 39-23 before halftime.
During the third quarter, junior guard Jameson Caruso scored an and-1, which was met with huge cheers from the stands. He made two free throws, which changed the score to 48-33 before a timeout. Caruso also scored a layup after a pass from Baradarian during the end of the third quarter.
Mani scored two consecutive dunks in the last quarter, one with his left hand and the other with a two-handed slam. Senior guard Pablo Sanchez scored a three-pointer right after he got subbed in, which was the final basket for the Normans.
Caruso was happy with the team’s first victory of the season.
“The opening game for our season was amazing, to put it simply. We came out to a slow start, going down 10-2, but as a team, and with the help of the crowd, we battled and came back to win. The atmosphere in the gym was electric,” Caruso said. “Having classmates, friends, family and the city of Beverly Hills as a whole come out to support us was something that is really going to motivate us throughout this season. This opening night was the start of something amazing, and I can’t wait to see our team progress throughout this journey and all of the support we garner along the way.”
The Normans’ next game is at home against the Culver City Centaurs on Nov. 23 at 6 p.m.
