Boys basketball loses to Chantilly in closing minutes
December 15, 2012
It looked like the boys varsity basketball team had the Chantilly Chargers well in hand.
The Colonials took an early lead in the first quarter and continued to dictate the flow of the game for the rest of the first half. Senior David Rice made a three point shot with 20 seconds left before half time to put the Colonials up 28 – 23, and the team rode that momentum into the second half.
Chantilly came out very strong in the third quarter, and that hard work, combined with a few careless turnovers by the Colonials, allowed the gap to be closed. At the start of the fourth quarter, the game was tied up at 36 – 36.
During the third quarter, the crowd started chanting “Stanford” in honor of senior Howard Small’s recent accomplishment of being accepted into the prestigious school. It was a moment that inspired everyone.
“Howard shows his dedication to both academics and athletics, and I aspire to succeed just as he did in both basketball and school,” said freshman Deepak Jayachandran, captain of the freshman basketball team.
The game was taken over by the Chantilly guards in the final quarter, who were able to penetrate the Colonials defense and get many players in foul trouble. Senior point guard Migdam Gebril fouled out with three minutes remaining, and Chantilly was able to maintain a healthy lead until the final buzzer. The final score was 42 – 57.
![During a game against Hayfield last year, junior Helena Johnson dribbles across the court. This season, the Jefferson cheer team will be performing courtside at all varsity basketball games. “I didn’t know too much about basketball, but after two games, I caught on,” sophomore cheerleader Caitlyn Wood said. “I think [sideline cheer] is good to have the crowd engaged and keep encouraging the team to do their best.”](https://www.tjtoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/basketball.png)
![Photo courtesy of TJ Colonials Sports. “[At tryouts] masks were required at all times, and santization stations were set up so that after a ball was used, someone could clean it,” Anjali Maddipatla, a freshman on the varsity team, said. “We were required to bring our own water bottles so we didn’t have to share.”](https://www.tjtoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/basketball-356x475.jpeg)
![The boys gather around to recite their chant after what would be the final timeout of the game. “We should take this last game and use it to improve by never giving up and [continuing to] persevere,” Gundu said. The basketball season lasts until mid-February, so the team will be able to apply what they learned here for the majority of the season.](https://www.tjtoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Screen-Shot-2019-12-18-at-10.07.22-PM-475x390.png)