Hawks Soar to First Victory of Season, Beat Patriot by 10

     The Varsity Boys, playing an unusual 4^th game in 5 days, salvaged their Tip-Off classic, by defeating Patriot HS on Saturday night, 76-66. The Hawks, who had lost a tough OT game the night before, shook of that bitter taste and a sluggish 1^st 6 minutes, to slowly pull away from Patriot HS. Hayfield began to roll in the later stages of the 1^st quarter, and much of the 2^nd quarter, when Jr. PF Cam Wilkerson (8pts, 17 rebs, 2stls) entered the game. Wilkerson, battling a slight cold, was dominant on the offensive glass, gathering 14 offensive rebounds in a 7 minute stretch, propelling Hayfield to a 7 point halftime lead.

    Wilkerson was not the only Hawk to excel in this game. Sr. SG Romaine Oakley (21pts, 4asts, 2stls) broke the 20 point mark for the first time in his varsity career, and his 21 are the new game high for the Hawks this season. Oakley was especially effective from beyond the arc, converting at a startling rate of 63% (5-8). Soph. SG Brian Cobbs (12pts, 4asts) continued his hot start to the season, reaching double figures for the 3^rd straight game, and now leads the Hawks with 13.5pts/game.

   In the third quarter, Hayfield continued to build their lead, stretching it to 12 points by the close of 24 minutes. Jr. G Ja’eon Curetan (2pts, 2rebs, 1stl) broke into the scoring column for the first time this season, connecting on his only shot, and displayed the intense defensive pressure that earned him a spot on Hayfield’s varsity, recording his first steal and two defensive rebounds of his varsity career. Soph. PG Luke Jones (8pts, 2rebs, 3asts, 1stl), joined Curetan, to help the Hawks pull away in the pivotal third quarter. Their play, gave Hayfield hope of how deep the team could be this season, in a year that some considered a rebuilding one, but now may just be one of reloading.

   The fourth quarter at first seemed destined to be icing on the cake, but Patriot HS would not go away. Even though Hayfield had eliminated their ability to hit the three (5 made in the 1^st half, zero made in the 2^nd), Patriot found ways to score inside, never letting Hayfield pull away. Many times down the stretch, Patriot pulled within two or three scores, but each time the Hawks had the answer, whether it be a short range bucket, or a free throw. In the end, Hayfield found the win column.

   Other key contributors included: Jr. PF/C Kareem Hamadouche (4pts, 3rebs) gave Hayfield a glimpse of the future, as he was very effective around the basket. Jr. PG Langston Gaither (9pts, 5rebs, 1ast) came off the bench to lead all reserves in scoring, and added to his team lead in defensive rebounds, now at 19 (4.75/game). Sr. SF Aaron Jeter (7pts, 6rebs, 1ast, 1stl) continued his flexible play, whether he is covering the opponents top perimeter player, or down low battling for a rebound, he is always giving his all.

   Pts. Scored By: Oakley (21), Cobbs (12), Douglas (4), Jeter (7), McGhee (1), Curetan (2), Jones (8), Wilkerson (8), Gaither (9), Brox (0), Wheeler (0), Mahmoud (0), Miles (dnp), Hamadouche (4)