On Nov. 19, the Radford Rams basketball team kick-started their first preseason game against Kaimuki. Varsity took the court following JV’s home-court win. With seven seniors, two juniors, and five sophomores, the boys took the court. The Rams started strong: they won possession and scored the first three-pointer of the night.
At the start of the play, the Rams took the lead by scoring the first point on the right side of the court. Following the rebound, Kaimuki took the ball only to be stopped at half court by Radford’s zone defense. The two teams remained tied for most of the first quarter, with Radford playing strong defense.
Once the second quarter began, both teams regrouped with their coaches to discuss the play. The game centered on the left side, with Kaimuki slightly taking the lead. Radford opted for a zone defence, evened out the score by halftime, and gained points back with Asher Strain sinking two successful free throws before halftime.
After half-time, tensions rose as Kaimuki and Radford tried to gain the upper hand in the game. Radford falls slightly on the scoreboard by focusing heavily on defense and employing a man-to-man position. Radford gained three more opportunities for free throws and successfully made six layups. They finished the third quarter with a three-pointer and a twelve-point lead in favor of Kaimuki.
The Rams had a heavy focus on their set offense being used to counteract Kaimuki’s man-to-man defense.
All the effort the Rams put into their last quarter slowly started to bridge the gap on the scoreboard. The Rams came up by eight points in the last quarter which ultimately resulted in a score of 63-50.
The Rams first game of pre-season started off strong and showcased their strong defensive line. The team had an impressive play keeping the score close for the majority of the time. Although not resulting in their desired outcome, they still played strong. As basketball season comes up, the Rams have many more opportunities to display their skills and strengthen their game during pre-season.