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Volume 2: February 13, 2020

We had one final round of games before all-star weekend and mid-winter recess. You could feel the intensity as student-athletes, coaches, parents, and fans put their best feet forward going into the season's intermission. So far, HVA West is the team to beat at both sites. It's up to the rest of our players to unseat the top dog after the break!

Scenes From Around the League

HVA West stays loose with jumping jacks.

T.J. Smart is "too smart" for his team's huddle.

HVA West sinks a free throw with flair.

Dion Robinson goes to the rack for a clutch hoop-and-harm.

Athletes get all the way up to snag a loose ball at its highest point.

HVA West takes first heading into the break with a win over St. Hope.

Standings

MVP of the Week

Kwabena Brew of HVA West, pictured here with Coach Perez, was the heart and soul of his team's win against St. Hope. Kwabena had 19 points, five rebounds, and four steals as HVA edged out their rivals 49-48 in an instant classic that tested the mettle of every fan in the building. Postgame, Kwabena prophesied, “We’ve been trying to win this thing for five years . This is our year — we are taking that championship.” Keep up the good work, and good for you, Mr. Brew!  Makayla Vails of M.S. 161 put forth continuous effort in a tough game against HVA West this Saturday. Though her team wasn’t able to secure a win, they persevered through exhaustion and a deficit to keep making plays in the second half. Afterward, Mckayla told us she is confident in her defending skills and looks forward to continuing to work on her dribbling—while getting to have fun with her friends. No matter what happens this season, we're sure Makayla will find a win.

Tip of the Week

Keep Yourself and the Ball Active on Offense A surefire way to halt your offensive progression as a team is to play 1-on-1 "hero ball" during a game. That is, one person takes the ball, tries to make a sweet play, and everyone else stands around and watches helplessly like a fan. Teams that use this strategy are at a disadvantage. Offense has to work together! Check out these tips from Triple Threat Academy on how to keep yourself active in an offense. Team fluidity leads to unstoppable execution! When a team works together to get the best possible shot, they are more likely to make that shot—a formula for excellence.

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