Boys varsity fall to rival Meadows in close match

Final score 61-53, Meadows

Ayden+Anderson+takes+a+free+throw+shot+at+line+as+teammate%2C+Stephen+Harris+prepares+to+defend.

Photo by Zoey Heinrich

Ayden Anderson takes a free throw shot at line as teammate, Stephen Harris prepares to defend.

Tuesday night’s home game against the Rolling Meadows Mustangs was a game filled with competition and excitement—a game that really came down to who made less mistakes and which team was able to get their teammates into transition. It was a tie game at halftime, but from then on out, Meadows took control, eventually taking the win.

A key playmaker in the game was senior, Stephan Harris. Harris said that COVID-19 has had an impact in that it has been hard to do some drills with certain rules in place and overall just not knowing if there was going to be a season. According to Harris, he wants to make better decisions with the ball and get more of this star-studded team involved. Harris displayed this camaraderie as a team player, showing grit and hustle while on the court. 

Another one of BG’s strongest players is junior, Kam Craft. A leader on and off the court, he is able to make space and opportunities for him and his teammates. He has offers from many D1 colleges, including DePaul and Nebraska. Craft has not made a choice yet on commitment. One of the aspects of the game that he misses most is competing in front of a crowd, whether home or away. His teammates agree that he has been able to step up big time in order to keep a high standard of play throughout this weird system.

The Bison take a timeout to discuss strategy during the close game against Meadows on Feb. 23. (Photo by Mikayla Kim)

Rolling Meadows also has talented players this year. Senior Max Christie has a lot of potential going into his future next year at college. He is a member of the McDonald’s All-American Boys Basketball team. He has many strengths: ball handling, shooting, passing and a good sense of awareness. He is committed to play at Michigan State University—a Big 10 school—starting 2022. Tuesday night, he scored 17 points, hustling to make opportunities for his teammates. His brother, Cameron Christie, and Orlando Thomas helped Rolling Meadows win, each with 11 points.

Overall, Tuesday night was a very close match. BG and Rolling Meadows are turning into a great rivalry with many more of these matchups to come. Although the Bison did not claim the win, they put it all out on the court. The final score was  61-53 Meadows.