On the evening of December 20, spectators poured into the Thomas Stone gymnasium to watch the North Point Boys Varsity Basketball team take on the Thomas Stone Cougars. Going into the game, the Eagles were 3-1 and were looking for their fourth win. On the other side, Thomas Stone had a record of 4-1 and was seeking their first North Point win of the season.

From the tip off, North Point quickly jumped ahead, scoring eight points before Stone finally retaliated for a score of 8-2 halfway through the first quarter. Several good defensive plays were performed by North Point, only allowing Stone to slip 15 points in to end the quarter with a 25-15 score.

As the game progressed into the second quarter, the Eagle’s defense did not falter. On the offensive side, several smooth baskets were scored by Naim, Muhammad (’13). As the action rose on the court, the action rose on the side lines as well as the North Point Varsity Cheerleaders and the Thomas Stone cheerleaders attempted to outdo each other in a cheer off. Spectators seemingly tried to out scream each other, trying to determine which school had most pride. Back on the court, the second quarter ended bitter-sweetly as Stone scored a three pointer on the buzzer. North Point still had maintained a good lead, the score being 51-28.

From the top of the third quarter, the Eagles quickly reclaimed possession of the ball, but had trouble maintaining it as the Cougars continually stole it. Despite this, North Point continued to offensively dominate as they worked as a compact unit and scored seemly every ten seconds. A minor altercation between two players temporarily halted the game half way through the quarter as officials scrambled to decide what to do next. The mood was heated, as spectators audibly showed their disapproval of the referee’s calls against the Eagles. Overcoming a small setback, North Point closed the quarter up 74-43.

The fourth quarter played out no different than the other three. Strong offensive plays balanced out sturdy defensive tactics, virtually shutting out any chance of Thomas Stone winning. The final result: a blowout, as the Eagles were able to walk away with a score of 92-69.

“I think it [the game] went good, we came out with a lot of intensity and worked a lot better than the last game,” said Matthew Bonds (’13) reflecting on the game. “We need to work on giving one hundred percent the whole game.”

Coach Ball left the locker room looking relatively satisfied with the game. “We played well to a point, but in the second half we didn’t do as well, but we did good enough to win the game, which is always good.”

High hopes continue for the Eagles, who have a commendable track record and have been playing a good season. While there’s still a long season ahead, the previous games forecast it will a bright one.