The Warrior boy’s basketball record currently stands at 9-5 after their resounding win against Gilmour Academy on January 30. WJ beat the Lancers 69-54, with junior Erik Stern leading the way with an impressive 22 points.

Veteran seniors Maison Ross and Will Granchi, both forwards, and guard Donovan Morris anchor the team.  “Maison is a very encouraging leader by preparing us for games. Will is very energetic and gets us hyped up. Donovan always shows up ready to play,” noted junior Sam Valenziano.

But many of the WJ varsity members are young. The fresh talent includes juniors Gabe Barone, Sam Valenziano and Dominic Grguric and sophomores Arico (Rico) Pickett and Kole Kuczynski.

“We’ve had some guys take some big steps this year, most notably Rico. They have set themselves up for success in the future,” senior forward Will Granchi said.

On January 28, the Warriors suffered a diappointing loss to the rival Knights, described by Rico as a “wake up call” to the team. The Warriors played tough right up to the buzzer, and the game ended with a final of score was 67-73. Nevertheless, the hoopsters proved to themselves and the fans that they can hold their own against stiff competition and turn in a commendable performance.

A couple challenging contests remain against St. Vincent-St. Mary and Cleveland Rhodes. The upcoming games will prepare the Warriors for the playoffs. The players believe they are going to make some noise, despite being a younger team.

Junior Ben Ligan said, “We’re not very well-known, but I believe we can surprise some people come tournament time.”

Six games remain in the regular season, three of those on the home court. A raucous section of student supporters always boosts the team’s energy and morale.

“It is very important to have fans there for us. It gives us an adrenaline boost and makes the game bigger than yourself,” said senior Donovan Morris.