Varsity Basketball Mid-Season Review: Game after Game, Dodgers battle Vigorously in Pursuit of Success

At the time of writing, Madison’s Varsity Basketball team has just passed the exact midpoint of their regular season – having played twelve games, with eleven more still on the horizon. On first glance at the team’s record, 7-5, one may be quick to assess that the team has performed at a somewhat middling level so far. However, to jump to such a conclusion would be doing a grave injustice to the significant development this team has exhibited throughout the season, as well as the exceptional level of intensity that they have displayed in every contest thus far. Virtually every game has been a question of only a handful of plays, and so I believe it is clear that the Dodgers are set for only greater and greater success as the season continues.

A Slow Start: Weeks 1 – 3 In Review

One of the unique qualities of this year’s varsity squad is the wide range of players that comprise it. Seniors, juniors, sophomores, and even freshmen all play an important role, and a consequence of this is that there isn’t as much predeveloped synergy as an all-senior squad might have from playing together in years prior. As such, it has been a particular challenge for the Dodgers to get in sync with each other and play as a highly efficient and cohesive unit; and in turn, games in the beginning of the season were closely lost to teams that had, comparatively, hardly changed. Madison’s two initial losses against both Morris Catholic and Pequannock were not blow-outs, but it remained clear that the team lacked the ability to play with a seamlessness and subsequent speed to execute at the same level as the senior-heavy squads they faced. This streak was broken by a comparatively easy win against Mountain Lake’s first five, of whom only one was a consistent shooter. This win, however, was again followed up by two tough losses in the J.P Flynn Memorial tournament against Mendham and West Morris. Mendham was a game much like Morris Catholic and Pequannock, while West Morris was a particularly disgusting robbery by the referees. One of their star players easily should’ve fouled out in the beginning of the fourth quarter, and yet negligence on the part of the officiators allowed him to remain in the game and earn a clutch 9 points to edge the Dodgers out in the final minute. Regardless of these outcomes, however, by this point in the season it had already become obvious that a transformation was taking place. Madison had fought with intensity and defiance in every match-up so far – given the heart, talent, and dedication of each of the players, this was a given. But now, these players were coming together in a way not yet seen, and the result quickly manifested itself in the games to come. 

Explosive Steps Forward: Weeks 3 – 6 In Review 

Since their frustrating loss against Randolph, the Dodgers have triumphed in 6 of their last 7 games; earning wins against Randolph, Parsippany Hills, Veritas Christian, Hanover Park, Morristown Beard, and most recently, a hard-fought victory over Pequannock. As an exemplification of the vast improvement the team has made in recent weeks, I want to focus on this last game: Pequannock had won 8 straight games before closely losing to Morris Catholic, and had followed that up by trampling both Mountain Lakes and Parsippany in wins with 30 point deficits. Their starting squad has size, physicality, intensity, synergy from seniority, and an incredible accuracy from the three point line. In terms of objective comparison, it would seem Pequannock would have no trouble sweeping a team like Madison, which comparatively lacks some of these things. And yet, through tireless hard work, dedication, and faith in their coaching staff, the Dodgers do much more than make up for their supposed hindrances. While Pequannock didn’t miss a single attempted three pointer in the first quarter, Madison was exceptionally quick to fire back – the two teams trading shots at such a speed that the point deficit between them never exceeded 10 points. Again and again, Pequannock attempted to leave the Dodgers in the dust; but they were never able to shake Madison’s dogged man defense and well-executed offensive plays that constantly gave openings for junior Jackson Maloney to score shot after shot (he led the team in points that day, with 28 in total). The game, from start to finish, was one of grit and determination – and in that, Madison refused to allow themselves to be beaten. They broke into the lead for the first time in the fourth quarter, and stonewalled Pequannock’s top shooters with exceptional speed and skill until there was no time left for them to make a return. Madison’s victory over Pequannock, 70-66, is – in my mind – the epitome of what makes this Madison team unique. Not just in terms of unique challenges, but in unique strength, passion, and determination to succeed. Given its current trajectory, I believe the team is set to only reach greater heights and I’m excited to watch it happen. Go Dodgers!