Friday night, Feb. 6, the Highland Park varsity boys basketball team celebrated senior night against their conference foe, the Maine West Warriors. The event celebrated the hard work of seniors David Isaacson, Evan Mintzer, Jonah Mazursky, Asher Blitz, and Jake Grossmann.
The Giants jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter, but a Maine West scoring run gave the Warriors the lead 17-16 going into the second quarter. Despite this,
the Giants fought back to tie the game up at the half. The packed student section, led by the multitude of seniors who showed up to support their fellow classmates, played a major role in helping the Giants tie it up.
“We fed off the energy of the student section throughout the entire game,” Junior Gray Kanter said.
Throughout the night, the student section supported the seniors. Notably, with cardboard cutouts of their faces that were spun around whenever they made a basket. The students’ pride in their fellow senior basketball players was something that was particularly appreciated.
“The seniors really showed up, and it was fun having them there,” Isaacson said.
Throughout the third quarter, the Giants and Warriors continued trading shots with each other, but the Warriors managed to get the lead 41-36 heading into the fourth quarter. Early in the fourth quarter, the Warriors managed to extend their lead; despite a strong push in the final minutes, the Giants fell 52-60. Although they lost, Senior Night meant a lot to all of the seniors.
“That night was really special and made me and the other four seniors feel really valued,” Mintzer said.
While Senior night brought different emotions for everyone, it felt particularly nostalgic to Isaacson as his first varsity game was senior night his freshman year. Being on the varsity basketball team all four years is a major accomplishment, and with it has come some unforgettable memories. His favorite memory was their playoff win against OPRF last year.
“The game itself was awesome and the locker room after was a great experience, definitely one I will never forget,” Isaacson said.
Not only were the seniors stars on the court, but they were also important leaders in the locker room. That leadership extended beyond this season, as they hoped to guide future players in the program. Blitz offered some important wisdom to anyone who wants to play for the basketball team:
“Just keep working,” Blitz said. “Embrace the role you have because just being in the program is a compliment to you as a person. Just focus on getting better and do what you can to help the program.”
Ultimately, this senior class will leave an important mark on the program’s history. Their class carries a long list of accomplishments that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. Of their myriad achievements, the thing that the seniors loved most about their time on the basketball team was being with each other and forming lasting friendships. Regardless of how the rest of the season goes, this senior group’s legacy will not be forgotten.