November 11, 2025, the NC Warriors boys basketball (0-1) team faced up against the Harrison High School Hoyas (1-0) to open up their season. With an unfortunate departure of last season’s seniors, the squad looked to refresh its record and to kick off the year on a high note. Fans lined up and filled the courts to rally behind the team’s first game of the season.
“It’s good to start the season with all the fans around. We have a good roster, and I believe that with consistent support, we can make some noise in the region. I wouldn’t doubt that we will accomplish our mission of keeping the school in high hopes for basketball,” senior point guard Julian Dunn (1) said.
Tipping off, the team took time to find its footing, but quickly heated up with four three-pointers and numerous steals. The Hoyas attempted to gain traction, but they came up short on shot attempts and turned the ball over. Concluding the first quarter, the Warriors held up a strong 14-5 start and looked to build on their success within the second quarter.
Starting the second period, the Hoyas began to find their footing within the match, rallying back with important three-pointers and hauling down offensive rebounds. The Warriors, clamping down, remained unscathed to the Hoya’s climb back and kept their offensive game plan the same. Dunn shone early in the first half, scoring tough baskets and knocking down needed three-pointers to steady the ship for the team. With strong defense and unity, the Warriors held up a 12-point lead heading into halftime.
Coming out of halftime, the Warriors’ lead began to decline. The Hoyas started the third quarter hot from beyond the arc and crashed the offensive glass if possible. The Warriors did not plan on losing: They hustled for loose possessions and ran down the court with a quick pace to secure crucial fast-break points. With crunch time fast approaching, the third quarter rounded out with a 33-35 Hoyas lead.
The fourth quarter arrived along with the famous aspect of basketball: crunch time. Both teams hunkered down defensively and struggled to score any baskets. Following a needed floater, the game went down to a one-point Hoya 41-42 lead with only a minute left. Despite the Warriors’ additional respectable defense, an offensive rebound by the Hoyas ran the clock down further.
In hopes of stopping the clock, the Warriors needed to use their allowed team fouls to keep Harrison from holding the ball until the clock struck zero. With a loose possession and another exemplary moment of hustle, a steal gained the Warriors possession and pushed the ball down the court to find a basket. The Hoyas, unfortunately, resorted to smart fouling to prevent the Warriors from running a play. With two seconds on the clock, a last-second three-point attempt by the Warriors fell short, and the home team unfortunately opened the season with a close loss.
“I think the team did well as a whole. We definitely have time since it’s only the start of the season. I think we have stuff to improve on, and I think we’re getting better each day. The effort we put in is translating to the game, and we played a solid game for three quarters; we just have to push that effort into the fourth,” senior small forward Jordan Simpson (24) said.
