30 rock: Highlands boys basketball shows ‘tremendous energy’ in first-quarter shutout

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, January 4, 2018 | 5:54 PM

It took just a few possessions for Highlands boys basketball coach Stoczynski to see his players' focus in their game Wednesday against Southmoreland. By the end of the quarter, the Golden Rams left little doubt in anyone's mind.

Highlands outscored Southmoreland, 30-0, in the first quarter on the way to a 79-18 win.

“They just came out with tremendous energy,” Stoczynski said. “They were incredibly focused, and they were communicating at a level we haven't communicated at yet on defense all season. If we can continue to do that here as we continue to go along, I think that can be a successful thing for us.”

The game represented, by far, Highlands' best defensive performance of the season; the Golden Rams (6-3) came into the game allowing 62.1 points per game.

Highlands also showcased offensive balance, as six players scored at least nine points in the victory — the Golden Rams' fourth in a row.“We took some lumps early in the season, and we're starting to figure some things out,” Stoczynski said. “We got game-time experience for some of the guys. It's just part of the process that we want to continue to get better throughout the season.”

Tags: Highlands