The Staples boys’ basketball team won by their largest margin of victory on Friday night at Staples High School, defeating the Bassick Lions by 42 points in a one-sided, 84-42 matchup.
Staples never looked back after ending the first quarter up 27-4 in what turned out to be an extremely efficient game for Staples on the offensive end as the Wreckers notched a season-high 84 points on the night.
After coming off a defeat on Monday, Staples rebounded against Danbury on Wednesday and are now back on a winning streak thanks to a dominant performance on Friday against Bassick.
Due to Staples gaining such a big lead, Coach Goldshore used the opportunity to give some action to the younger players on the team.
After being out injured to start the season, Drew Hill ’26 played his first varsity minutes and recorded his first varsity points.
“It felt great to be back on the court since I had been out all season with a broken wrist,” Hill said. “I will never forget the feeling I had when I made my first varsity basket.”
The Wreckers’ success in scoring the ball came from their stellar defense on the night; organized defense turned to transition offense on multiple occasions throughout each quarter.
“We did a good job of sharing the ball and trusting each other throughout the game,” he said. “Simple plays led to easy baskets and allowed us to establish a comfortable lead.”
— Adam Udell '25
Beyond just spacing when in possession of the ball, point guard Adam Udell ’25 attributed the offensive success to unselfish and simple plays.
Not only did an emphatic win give some of the more inexperienced players a chance to perform, but the team also hopes that it will give them a boost to finish the season strong before the postseason ahead.
“Despite some of the ups and downs throughout the season, we really want to be playing our best basketball in March [during playoffs],” captain Sam Clachko ’24 said. “Hopefully this win against Bassick will give us some extra momentum to help us achieve that.”
The Staples Wreckers look to close out the season strong with games against St. Joseph and Westhill before the FCIAC playoffs begin Saturday, Feb. 24.
