Second chances: boys basketball faces alumni in 43-37

On Nov. 26, the Aragon boys varsity basketball played in the annual Aragon alumni game, resulting in a close score of 43-37. The alumni team came out on top, with a strong defensive performance and some offensive highlights as well.

This nearly 40-year-old tradition serves as an opportunity for former players to reconnect with the basketball program at Aragon and share the court for a lively game with the current team.

Head coach Hosea Patton viewed the game as valuable preparation for the season and an opportunity to run new routes.

“Obviously, it’s a fun game, not very serious at this moment,” Patton said. “But we have to keep in mind that it’s also the first game of the season … We’re gearing up for a competitive schedule, so this is a good warmup.”

Going into the game, spirits were high as current athletes anticipated the matchup.

“[We were] definitely excited to play against some of the alumni,” said junior Nishant Chaparala. “Especially [with] a few that we played with before, it’s definitely a different dynamic.”

Despite this anticipation, the team did not lose their focus, completing warmups and pregame routines as usual.

“We’re still locked in on having good technique and running our plays well,” said junior Alec Ziskind. “We aren’t going to let up, especially because it’s the first game of the season.” 

However, the primary aim of the game was to enjoy this multigenerational competition, with different perspectives from alumni and current players.

“I haven’t been on the court for a minute, so this was a great experience for me,” said alumnus James Cresta. “I loved seeing the new program, and seeing how all these young players have developed.” 

Many alumni tapped into their competitive nature with this opportunity to square off against another team on the court.

“It was great to be there and compete after all this time,” Cresta said. “Just the energy and everything got me super pumped. I had this one layup that I’m still feeling in my hamstring, but the feeling at the time was amazing.”

The game got off to a rough start for the alumni, who were initially unable to break through the Don’s defensive line. 

“It was definitely tough,” said alumnus Aaron Eder. “You got all these young guys running strong defensive plays; it was tough to put points on the board. We started to realize that we needed to change something to lock the game down.”

This struggle resulted in a 26-19 score at the end of the first half. However, the alumni were able to make a comeback after recouping during halftime.

“We just got together and recognized what angles we needed to play to really pull this thing through,” Eder said. “Some substitutions and game plans were made, and we were ready.”

This showed as the game began to get tighter as the alumni put pressure on the Don offense.

“We started to face a bit more pushback in the second half for sure,” Chaparala said. “But I feel like we were still able to hold our line and push through their offense to get an advantage.”

This neck-to-neck game carried well into the last quarter, but the current players made an adjustment to try to close the gap.

“We took a time out to kind of recenter and focus up,” Ziskind said. “We strategized to … figure out how to keep a strong defensive line while allowing our point guards to take shots.”

These tight moments were reminiscent of past experiences for many of the alumni.

“It was definitely a familiar feeling, coming back on the court and just getting in the flow of everything,” Eder said. “I truly felt like I was back on the court with my teammates like before.”

They also stressed the importance of savoring these moments as the years fly by.

“I [really] enjoyed my time at Aragon, from basketball to classes and everything,” Cresta said. “I hope these kids know how good they have it, with so much exposure to these opportunities to play.”

Overall, this event was a wholesome reunion between ages, as both sides were able to connect over their shared connection to Aragon.

“It was great to see what the alumni were like after they went through the program,” Chaparala said. “It’s … kind of a projection of our lives after a few years, since they went to Aragon just like us.”

The game finally came to an end with the alumni team winning, ending with a final score of 43-37. The season continues as they move to play in a tournament at Lowell High School, running Dec. 11–13.