Batavia Hoops

New Richmond aims for a bounce back against Batavia tomorrow, starting with the Freshman team at 3:30 in the middle school gym. The schedule includes both girls JV and Varsity teams playing between the boys JV and Varsity games.

The Batavia Freshman team faced a challenging encounter against New Richmond’s squad during their initial away game. In the first half, the team encountered difficulties as New Richmond implemented an effective 2-2-1 press that applied significant pressure on the young Bulldogs. However, following strategic adjustments at halftime, the Bulldogs responded decisively, ultimately securing a commanding 49-26 victory.

One of the more compelling statistics from this game is that both teams recorded the same shooting percentage in the paint, down to the decimal, despite differing numbers of attempts. Batavia achieved 16-36 from the field, whereas New Richmond posted 8-18. The Freshman Bulldogs must prioritize preventing the Lions from scoring in the paint, aiming to restrict them closer to their opponent’s season average of 34%. Additionally, limiting the Lions to 9% from beyond the arc would be beneficial.

The JV squad aims for another strong victory over the Lions after their last win of 50-29 against them, despite injuries to Caleb Tobias and Jaylin Lowe. This upcoming home game will differ from their previous encounter due to two key factors.

The first reason being that Batavia has returned Caleb Tobias back from injury. Caleb is a dynamic player who can change the game by racking up steals, finishing in the paint, and making impressive passes due to his pure basketball instincts. That alone is a boost itself.

Four freshmen, Steele Peavely, Tyson Eads, Elijah Weisbrodt, and Bentley Brown, have joined the JV roster, providing intriguing new elements for Coach Poggi. Their addition enhances both backcourt and frontcourt depth, potentially igniting fresh offensive strategies for the JV team. Watching their development at this level promises to be exciting.

The Batavia Varsity had one of the more impressive defensive performances you will see against New Richmond’s squad in their last matchup. They managed to hold the Lions to 24 points in 32 minutes of basketball. New Richmond were only able to get up 22 shots, holding them to 31.8% from the field and 11.1% from 3.

The length and aggressiveness of the Varsity Bulldogs in the half court were significantly advantageous, as players like Landon Larrison, Brett McKeon, Carson Harris, and Ryan Brose exhibited remarkable disruption on the perimeter. The defensive intensity of Batavia’s perimeter players is bolstered by the presence of their formidable big man, Logan Roller. His role as a safety net ensures that if any perimeter player takes a risk for a steal, Logan will effectively provide coverage in the paint, preventing any potential scoring opportunities. The Bulldogs look to continue positive momentum in their home match against the Lions.