For the Hillsborough boys varsity basketball team their match against the Phillipsburg Stateliners on Jan. 6, ended with a glowing victory. The final score of 81-50 left the Raiders leaving a good mark on their season record. Marked by the roar of the student section and cheers of the players, the win was a big one.
“I was sitting in the stands cheering loudly. The atmosphere was vibrant. I remember there being a lot of good plays,” junior Jaylen Hardgrove said.
The first two periods of the game went by with ease for the Raiders. Hillsborough led 25-13 after the first period. During the second period, the Stateliners began closing the gap, bringing the ending score for the period to 40-32.
Junior spectator Aaryan Chauhan made note of a great steal from player number 12 senior David Boateng during the first half. This moment was just one of many highlights. There were several dunks, rebounds, and three-pointers made on our home court that grabbed both the audience’s attention and a home team win.
During halftime, succeeding the performance by the junior varsity cheer team, the student council held its “Halftime Shootout Competition.” Operated by students, raffle tickets were sold for $1 each, and names were drawn at the beginning of intermission. After a minute of shooting between two Hillsborough students, senior Kevin Jones won a smoothie king gift card for his prize.
The match was made memorable not only by the Raiders’ outstanding performance, but its sentimental value to the team. Junior Kow Quagrine spoke on behalf of his teammates.
“David Boateng got his first points. Xzavier Walker and Cooper Wright got in the game for the first time. This game was a milestone for a lot of players,” Quagrine said.
Number 30 on the court, Quagrine was reportedly the third top scorer for this game, bringing home a total of ten points. He trailed closely behind sophomore Jack Toth and sophomore Aaron Feath, who scored eighteen and twenty points respectively. By the end of the third period Hillsborough was a powerhouse offensively, racking up points and taking away any opportunities from the opponent.
The Raiders were up 56-41 going into the fourth period, and they left Phillipsburg in the dust up until the buzzer went off. They showed dedication throughout the whole game and won it all 81-50.
As for the rest of the season, the Raiders’ future is bright. “We had a couple of bad losses, but we’re trying to figure out the pieces,” said Quagrine.
Currently, Hillsborough’s record of 22-7 only exhibits how much effort each player is putting into the team to make it a great rest of the season. On Mar. 6 they will go on to face Montgomery High School for the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 4 Tournament State Final for the championship title.
