Sports

Elder’s Late Game Heroics Lift Bobcats

Eliza Blanchfield and Eli Schwartzman • January 9, 2024

The boys basketball starting line up standing for the National Anthem.

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Junior Ben Albert, and London King, start the game off with a crowning tradition.

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Junior Tyler Pottinger warms up with his teammates behind him.

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Coach Dargati directs the team during a game changing time out.

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Junior Slei Elder attempts a floater over the Owls during last night’s game.

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Ethan Burke scams the court to set up an in-bound play.

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Junior Ethan Burke shooting from the free throw line for the Bobcats.

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Sophomore Brayden Edwards is attempting the game tying lay up.

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King and sophomore Ryder Haynes high fiving during a break in the action.

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On Monday, January 8th The South Windsor Boys Basketball team experienced a victorious comeback over Hartford Public with a final score of 46-41.

During the first half of the game, the Bobcats struggled to make a shot. The Owls continued to increase their lead throughout the half, with the Bobcats falling farther behind. The Hartford Public Owls held the lead by a double-digit margin.

The team shifted their mindset during half-time, starting the third quarter with Senior Captain London King working the ball around the court in a desperate attempt to get his team back in the game. King earned 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists, slowly helping his team to a home-court victory.

“Teamwork was a big part of last night. After not shooting well in the first half, we shared the ball more in the second half and were able to create better looks for ourselves and come away with a big win,” King told The Prowl.

Late in the third quarter, Sophomore Brayden Edwards drove to the basket converting a contested layup and drawing a foul. South Windsor’s student section was ecstatic after Edward’s basket, bringing new energy to the gym.

The Bobcats continued to chip away at the Owl’s lead with the help of Slei Elder, who had 11 points on the night. During the fourth quarter, while the Cats were down by two, a technical foul was called on Hartford Public after a player shoved Elder out of frustration. Elder maintained composure and sunk both his free throws, tying the game.

“You just always have to be mentally prepared. When your time comes, you just have to make a play,” said Elder.

Immediately after Elder’s free throws, King found Elder in the corner who made a three-pointer securing the lead for the Bobcats. On the next possession, Junior Aderes Darling forced a jump ball, giving the Bobcats possession to ice out the game. Darling explained, “I had to make up for the mistakes I made. I had a couple of turnovers.”

The Bobcats continued to gain momentum throughout the fourth quarter. The crowd took notice of the momentum and “the fourth quarter was very loud in the gym. The intensity was there,” explained Darling.

The Bobcats are currently 2 and 4 after their victorious game against the Hartford Public Owls and hope to continue their winning streak against E.O. Smith on Thursday, January 11th.

About the Contributors

Eliza Blanchfield, Editor-in-Chief

Eliza Blanchfield is the Editor-in-Chief of South Windsor High School’s award-winning newspaper, The Bobcat Prowl. During her junior year Eliza is determined to maintain a high quality news site while teaching her writers the art of journalism. Outside of journalism, Eliza is committed to serving others and creating connections within the community. She holds leadership positions at the Unified for Underprivilaged Girls club and Dignity Grows non-profit organization. After high school, Eliza wishes to attend college and pursue a career involving journalism.

Eli Schwartzman, Multimedia Editor

Eli Schwartzman is a third year journalism student at South Windsor High School and is entering his junior year. He is the Multimedia Editor for The Bobcat Prowl. He oversees all the video content for The Prowl. Schwartzman loves sports, both playing and watching. He plans to cover many different sports games this year and write about them. When he’s not in the classroom, you can find Eli taking pictures at a sports game, spending time with his friends, or with his four dogs. Last year, his article, “The King of Hearts”, won a Best of SNO award, as well as finishing fourth in the NSPA sports article division.