Coming off its first victory since a heartbreaking loss in the Martin Luther King Day Hoops Classic, the North Point boys basketball team knew that its first home game of the new year was an important one. Forward Tre’ Mouton (’12) stated, “We just wanted to come out and play hard. We knew if we did that, then everything would take care of itself.” In a matchup with in-county opponent McDonough High School, coached by former North Point teacher Eulo Regala, this game was nothing short of spectacular for the host team.
Ninety seconds into the game, Mouton converted on an and-one bucket to get the seemingly uninterested crowd into the game. For almost every shot the Eagles took, McDonough would match it with one of their own. The first quarter was a very close contest, as both teams fought hard to take control of the game. After a Matt Bonds (’13) buzzer-beater layup, North Point would end up taking the first with a 27-19 lead.
In the second, both teams lit the fireworks and seemed nearly unstoppable on offense. Defense was a non factor with each squad making the most of their offensive possessions. By the end of the half, there was exuberant cheering from both sets of fans, with the Eagles holding on to a 50-42 lead.
In the third quarter, North Point began dominating both ends of the floor, causing multiple turnovers and lighting up the Rams on the scoreboard. The Eagles limited McDonough to ten points, and many missed shots, while scoring 28 points themselves. As the Eagles piled on the points, the crowd became louder and louder with excitement. Halfway through the quarter, the McDonough cheerleaders got their fans back into the game with a cheer directed towards the North Point cheerleaders. What ensued was a back and forth war between the two squads, which diverted the fans attention from the Eagles offensive onslaught of the Rams. After the excitement of the quarter died down, North Point had built a 78-52 cushion.
As the fourth quarter commenced, Coach Jimmy Ball began putting in the backups for mop-up duty knowing that the Eagles had the game in the bag. Though uneventful, the Eagles managed to pad some stats and ended the game 96-72. “Everybody was focused and ready to play,” noted forward Naim Muhammad (’13). “I feel like everyone gave it their all Friday [night], and we need that every night.”