As the varsity boys basketball season kicks into full gear, the team has been demonstrating their potential for the rest of the 2023 season, gathering spirited crowds to support them in their consistently close games. Although only fourteen games have been played this season, the boys are starting out with a stronger season than the school has seen since 2015. The team is currently ranked No. 8 in the Skyland Conference Tournament and is tied with Ridge for second place in the Raritan division. 

Boro has twice won games by only two points, once against Oratory in the Prep Holiday Tournament, and once in a notably incredible game on our courts against Phillipsburg on Jan. 17, which was Senior Night celebrating team seniors Ben Spitzer, Avery Whitney, Nate Urm, and Josh Harp.

Thegame started with a solid Phillipsburg lead that was not countered until the end of the second period with a three-point shot by Spitzer. The game was hard-fought with the lead quickly changing back-and-forth between the teams until Phillisburg tied the score 35-35 with a foul shot with only less than a minute left in the game. In an intense final offensive play in the last ten seconds of the game, junior Nick Losch found an opening to score the winning shot at the buzzer, an incredible end to the game that was immediately followed by cheering fans and friends flooding the court to celebrate.

“It felt great to see all my teammates happy,” Losch said. “I was happy to get the win for the seniors celebrating senior night.”

Another impressive performance this season was that of junior Phillip Unangst, who, in the following game on January 19, scored a remarkable 25 points. His work led Boro to its solid victory over Montgomery with a final score of 59-45.

“We all played together with confidence, and we are looking to carry that momentum with us throughout the whole season,” Unangst said.

In spite of starting the season a month late due to NJSIAA transfer policy, Unangst is making himself known to the Jersey basketball community.

“The first two games after my return were tough,” Unangst said about his time on the shelf. However, according to Press of Atlantic City, chairman for the NJSIAA’s Advisory Committee David Frazier has said that the NJSIAA has recently been asked by the state department of Education to create more relaxed, “student-friendly” transfer rules, which hopefully will provide easier transitions for future transferring athletes.

The team is looking forward to seeing through the rest of their successful season and working together to bring more victories to Hillsborough. “The team is super close,” Unangst told me. “It’s a brotherhood. We all know we have each other’s back no matter what, and our chemistry on the court is at an all-time high.”

Junior Jayden Green, commented on the team’s bond as well, explaining “[there’ve] been a lot of close and exciting games that we have been able to win because we trust each other… Everyone cheers each other on for even the smallest things.”

Senior Avery Whitney explained his thoughts on the season

“We have a lot of young, talented guys on the squad that I’m super proud of and [who’ve] shown major growth on and off the court,” Whitney said. “Over the course of the season so far, we’ve learned how to play as one on the court as well as our individual roles for the team.” 

The boys are confident in continuing the momentum they’ve seen so far, and Whitney summed it up best: “we’re only going to improve as the season moves on.”