Varsity team (L to R): Breon Harper, Kieran Cecil, Jodaun Dotson, Kahlil Clark, Galen Street, Henry Cooper, Xavier Cooper, Evan Gould, and Ravel Moody (not pictured: Marquise Yancey and Ahamed Mohammed). photo by Anja Oss
The TJ Hoop Squad looks to take down Denver South six days after suffering a tough loss.
The bleachers are expected to be packed on Friday, January 22nd, as TJ’s boys’ basketball team seeks revenge against their biggest rival, the Rebels of Denver South. Last Saturday, January 16th, the two teams battled it out as South escaped with a win in the last few seconds by a score of 65-63. “They got lucky the first time,” said senior and team captain Henry Cooper. “This is the biggest game of the season for us this far. They are our biggest rivals and it’s always a great Friday night atmosphere.” The game will be held at 5:30 p.m. at TJ, followed shortly by the Lady Spartans’ game at 7 PM.
The boys’ team, currently standing at 7-7 in the season, are led by junior Ravel Moody, averaging 16.4 points per game, and sophomore Xavier Cooper with 11.8 points per game. Moody, who scored 30 points on Saturday, had a chance to win the game with a three at the buzzer. “We really wanted to win that one, but all we can do is focus on the next one ahead of us,” said Moody. The Spartans have been working hard this week in preparation for Friday’s rematch, focusing on anything that went wrong in the last game.
This season, the Rebels are led by seniors Chudier Bile and Jamison Jendrusch, averaging 17.1 and 11.6 points per game. The Rebels got off to a slow start to the season, but have gotten hot ever since Bile and junior Connor Nelson returned from injuries. They currently stand at 10-4 on the season and are coming off a win against Gateway. “We are going to have to keep them off the glass,” said TJ junior Galen Street, who attended South during his first semester of high school. “They are a really good rebounding team and we’re going to have to limit their chances.” The Rebels will be a tough matchup for the Spartans, as they are currently ranked sixth in 4A.
This game will be the first of nine league games for the Spartans and they need the help of the students. “We need as many students as possible to be at the game because they provide the gym with so much energy,” said junior Ahamed Mohamed. The game will be a whiteout for students, so arrive in white attire to watch the Spartans knock off their rivals and start off League play in the right direction.
