In their recent matchup on Jan 22, the Steinbrenner Warriors fell short to the Armwood Hawks 60-54. Before the game, sophomore Drew Bernard was asked how in his opinion the game would go. “I think Armwood will be surprised by what’s coming,” said Bernard. JV Basketball player and sophomore Logan Caraway was asked for his prediction. “I think Armwood will win because Steinbrenner has Defense and talent, but Armwood has more size and athleticism,” said Caraway.
The Warriors showed up with effort and skill but ultimately came up short. Armwood pulled away with the win behind inside paint scoring and strong execution down the stretch, securing a six-point victory on Senior Night. The Warriors kept the game close for much of the contest but struggled to stop Armwood’s inside scoring and key buckets in transition. Steinbrenner had opportunities to trim the lead late, made some shots, but surely missed crucial shots offensively that could’ve tightened the score and gave them momentum.
Their offense was sometimes off, relying on contested jumpers instead of creating more ball movement and cutting to the basket as well as screens to give easier looks inside or attacking the basket to draw fouls and get to the free throw line. Defensively, Steinbrenner could have been more aggressive in getting back fast on transition and boxing out on the boards. Armwood was able to grab second-chance points at times because of lack of boxing out, which helped them keep their edge and lead.
To improve and put themselves in position to win similar as well as more games in the future, Steinbrenner should focus on confident ball movement, driving toward the hoop more assertively or aggressively, and forcing Armwood or any other opponent into tough, contested shots. On defense, tightening up help rotations like weak side and strong side, securing rebounds, and communicating screens would reduce easy bucket chances for opponents. With a few adjustments’ execution and intensity, the Warriors could turn narrow losses into wins down the stretch and finish off on a good winning streak of the season.
