By Asha Henfield, Contributing Writer
In the middle of the basketball universe of Sunshine State, two titans of the game go against each other as the Saint Leo Lions and the Embry-Riddle Eagles gear up for a thrilling, exciting match. The fans bellowing from the stands and chances teetering in the air gave both teams no choice but to fight fiercely and set full fire to themselves.
From the beginning as the opening tip-off, it has been said without a doubt that this would be no ordinary match. The riveting match continued as the Lions and the Eagles squared off in a battle of bombs, which kept the spectators on the razor’s edge of their seats throughout. Regardless of the strong presence of the Eagles, the Lions fought right to the end, displaying tremendous creativity and passion in the game and in the manner, they overcame the difficulties impeding them from winning.
The Lions, who were led by sophomore sensations Kanon Koster, Logan Ryan, and Grant Disken, impressively started the season. They showed their might, and there was no doubt about it. Among them, Koster, a net harmer, was indeed worth mentioning.
According to the Athletic Department’s website, he scored 17 points in total, which means one goal per three minutes, not to mention the marks he left on defenders. Evaluate Ryan and Diskenwhose contribution was worth 15 and 12 points. They worked remarkably hard towards us beating the opponents.
Entering the game, it was clear that the Eagles would not give up an easy fight. With each possession, they stayed in the game, creating opportunities from their opponent’s mistakes and carelessness to draw closer at the end. The latter half of the game witnessed a strong move in favor of the Eagles, who took over the game while the Lions were trying to get to an even keel.
Notwithstanding the tremendous wintry battle that the Lions and Eagles appeared locked in, each side was determined to achieve victory without surrendering any soil. With 18 lead swings from one side to the other, a situation of white heat took place as both sides wrestled on the ground as hard as they could for every point. Lastly, the Eagles had the last laugh, dismissing the Lions with great respect and a score of 77-60.
Regardless of the score against them, the Lions did not give up and did not believe in trivial things like losing, rather they put up a fight until the final whistle.
“Relentless perseverance till the end of the game” is how sophomore Adrienne Williams, who is a member of the accounting department, described the team’s attitude. It was also supported by her in a similar sentiment when the cybersecurity sophomore, Joshua Hanna, lauded the endurance and the effort the team put in the game till the last buzzer blew past their nose.
Springing up forwards, the Lions continue to be a strong bunch, preparing to battle Palm Beach Atlantic in the Marion Bowman Center. Having exhausted all probabilities of turning the situation, the team is then ready to transform their desired victory into a life-altering reality. The influence of the coach’s strategic ideas and observations of the players will be vital during this time and will help bring back their side to winning ways in the next game.
In the end, Saint Leo was beyond doubt the game of the Sunshine State’s basketball at the top of its league. While the Lions might still be short of the ultimate goal, their persistent mettle and will to fight until the very end gave fans and players the spirit boost for the next match. While they do so, the squad goes on to work on getting better and binds themselves together towards the attainment of success in every game throughout the rest of the season.
