If the saying “defense wins championships” holds true, the fourth- and fifth-grade Wildcats are well on their way to becoming one of the powerhouses in the Hoopster league. The Wildcats used strong interior defense to suffocate the Hoosiers around the hoop and win 39-23 Dec 13 at Langston Hughes Elementary.

Both teams struggled early to find a rhythm as the defenses prevailed, holding one another to a 16-11 Wildcat lead.

“I loved our defensive intensity and the way we were able to share the ball,” said Wildcats head coach Sebastian Bonner. “For a while there was a lid on the rim, but we were able to get a few of the shots to fall later in the game.”

Wildcat guard Weston Hack set the defensive tone early by opening the game with back-to-back steals and converting on a breakaway layup. Hack’s quick feet and defensive positioning caused problems for the Hoosiers as Hack continually disrupted the passing lanes and stalled the Hoosier attack.

On the offensive side of the ball, Wildcat forward Alexa Gaumer dominated inside the paint. Gaumer’s ability to track down the rebound and take advantage of the open look propelled the Wildcats to an early lead. Gaumer hauled in a team-high seven rebounds, helping to jump-start the Wildcat attack.

However, the Hoosiers would not go without a fight. Guard Joe Dineen supplied the offense for the Hoosiers by slashing to the hoop and hitting from downtown. With time winding down in the first half, Dineen hit a deep two to pull the Hoosiers within five at the break.

Scott Gill leads the fourth- and fifth-grade Hoosiers in a warm-up drill prior to their game against the Wildcats Dec. 13 at Langston Hughes Elementary.

Once again, Hoosier guard Chelsea Cassidy turned in another terrific performance hoping to pull off the comeback. Cassidy’s outside shot and ability to drive to the basket kept the Wildcat defenders at bay. Hoping to spark the offense, the Hoosiers ran their offense through Cassidy, trying to give her touches on each offensive possession.

Despite the strong play between Dineen and Cassidy, the Wildcats were able to make an offensive push in the third quarter, which all but sealed the victory. Wildcat point guard Anthony Bonner singlehandedly took control of the game. Using a quick first step, Bonner attacked the hoop unafraid to draw a little contact. Bonner’s aggressive play enabled him to lead all scorers with 10 points and secure the win for the Wildcats.