By Nick Storlazzi
@NStorlazzi
Thirty-two minutes wouldn’t be enough for Northwest Catholic (CT) or Newton North (MA) to come out with the win, as not one, but two overtimes were needed to decide who was going back home victorious in the opening game of the 2023 Spalding Hoophall Classic.
The first day of the Hoophall Classic is always a very exciting one, as local teams around the Springfield area come to showcase their talents – as well as their love for the game of basketball – on the big stage.
It can also be a stressful day for the two teams that have to start off the tournament, as it sets the tone of what’s to come the rest of the weekend.
While both Northwest Catholic and Newton North are local, they have never faced each other before, making their matchup more exciting considering the competitive nature built between the two teams.
The first game of the tournament marks the start of an exciting weekend, and for the athletes, it means it’s time to bring their A-game in a new, unfamiliar setting.
Northwest Catholic came into this game undefeated, while Newton North had a formidable record of 6-2. Both teams are a powerhouse in their respective leagues.
Northwest Catholic head coach John Mirabello embraced the challenge of playing in a new atmosphere, and has prepared his players for this stage.
“We are very excited to be a part of this prestigious tournament. We are telling our team to embrace the challenge of competing against an outstanding team in a great environment. These are the types of games kids think about playing when they are working out and practicing,” Mirabello said.
For the coaches, it’s all about setting up the matchups and the game plan – but for the players, it’s about delivering on the court and playing to the best of their ability when their number is called.
Both teams took advantage of the opportunity of playing in the Hoophall Classic. The game went into double overtime before Newton North edged out the victory, 67-59, in what was a competitive contest the whole way.
Center Will Davis of Newton North talked about how he prepared mentally to play in the Hoophall Classic.
“You have to treat it like it’s any other game,” Davis said. “As hard as it is to do, sometimes it’s important to not let it get to your head so you still can deliver on the court. I treated it as playing [local teams from Massachusetts], and tried to come in with the confidence that we were gonna win today.”
However, playing in front of a crowd of cameras and media crews may cause some distraction – and add on pressure – for high school kids, but that didn’t seem to be a problem for the 6’8” center.
Davis recorded 10 points, but was crucial in other departments, pulling down 18 boards and blocking four shots to help the Tigers depart from Springfield College with a win.
“We definitely wanted to set the tone to start out the weekend,” Davis said. “We were looking forward to playing Northwest Catholic – they’re a really good team. We wanted to come out and beat the best team and that was what we were able to do.”
Photo: Ty Coney/Springfield Student