Jayhawks Boys Varsity Basketball Soars to Success
BY MARCUS KRANZ ’27
On Monday, January 5, the Jericho Boys Varsity Basketball Team made a triumphant return to the court, pulling away from Bellmore JFK with a dominant 67-45 victory. The Jayhawks exploded out of the gate and outscored Bellmore 28-9 in the first quarter.
Strong defensive pressure, with the boys swarming the Bellmore backcourt and forcing a plethora of turnovers, completely disrupted Bellmore’s offense. That defensive intensity translated into fast breaks, allowing the Jayhawks to build their lead and control the pace. The Jayhawks coasted to victory behind Srinidith Gummadi ’26, who poured in 17 points, and captain Casey Deutsch ’27, who added 16 points.
The Jayhawks were tied for first heading into a tilt against New Hyde Park for control of first place in conference play. On Wednesday, January 7, the Jayhawks played host to the New Hyde Park Gladiators. The stakes were high for this game against New Hyde Park, as the winner controlled its own destiny to win the conference crown. This game was a battle led by Casey Deutsch, who hit a buzzer-beater three-pointer to cap the first quarter, giving the Jayhawks an 18-10 lead. Throughout the next three quarters, the game was intense, as the Jayhawks couldn’t find a way to pull away, and the game remained close late. After their game against New Hyde Park, the Jayhawks improved to 9-2 (4-1) in conference AA3.
On Saturday, January 10, the Jayhawks took on the Walt Whitman Wildcats for the Walt Whitman Classic championship. The Jayhawks were off to a hot start, shooting the lights out from behind the arc, and would lead at halftime 47-43, but in the second half, they couldn’t slow down Whitman’s Jack Bell, who scored 35 points for the Wildcats. Walt Whitman used a big second half to fuel an 86-78 victory, as Jericho finished runner-up in the tournament.
In this game, Deven Mudgil ’28 led the way with eight three-pointers and 27 points overall, while Suvir Mohan ’27 had six threes and 18 points overall. Despite the loss, the Jayhawks showed great effort and intensity against one of the best teams on Long Island. Casey Deutsch spoke on the effort and grit of the Jayhawks. Deutsch said, “We are a team of competitive kids, and all we want to do is win for each other and for Jericho.”
Additionally, Deutsch added, “I think we have been successful this season, and we believe in each and every one of each other. There is still a long way to go, and we want to take it one game at a time.”
Stats provided by Newsday.