On Thursday, the boys varsity basketball team (1-3) defeated the Edmund Burke Bengals 47-34. This win was the Lions’ first of the season after three frustrating close losses and has the potential to push the team toward PVAC success.

Throughout the exhilarating home game, the score constantly fluctuated, as the teams battled for a point advantage over the other. Lions’ coach David McCloud was pleased with the team’s performance overall.

“We played I think probably better defense than we played before and think offensively we’re starting to get better,” McCloud said.

Juniors Zev Katz, Dani Offer and Max Stravitz led the team to victory with 13, 12 and 11 points, respectively.

For most of the first half, the Lions were behind the Bengals. The Lions struggled to make an impression on the small crowd in attendance. The Bengals took advantage of the Lions’ offensive deficiencies and headed into halftime with a three-point advantage at 18-15.

McCloud decided after the first half that emphasizing the team’s defense above their offense would be the most direct way for the team to earn their first victory this season.

As a result of McCloud’s thinking during halftime, the third quarter was, according to their coach, arguably the Lions’ best. The team played solid defense and coordinated their plays more effectively, which revived their chances of triumph over the Tigers. Boosted by a 22-7 run, the Lions took and held the lead until the final buzzer sounded, resulting in their 13 point victory.

Senior Zach Gordon was pleased with the team’s unity on the court.

“I think trust definitely played a big role [in our victory],” Gordon said. “I think we all learned that no matter what happens, whether we win or lose, on and off the court we have each other’s backs and we truly are that family that we’re meant to be.”