Defense Again Keys Churchill Win

By Jim Edwards

GAITHERSBURG, Md. -- Behind for much of the first half and struggling to find its rhythm against host Gaithersburg, the Churchill boys basketball team turned to what has been their best weapon in the early season: relentless defensive pressure.

With the scored knotted at 30-30 at halftime, the Bulldogs stepped up their defensive intensity, keying a 24-1 run to start the second half en route to a deceptively lopsided, 66-33, victory.

Senior Sam Edens led the Bulldogs’ offensive charge with 18 points, followed by senior Quan Gill (14), senior Thomas Geenen (9), junior Dominique Williams (9), senior Louis Rothstein (8) and sophomore Matt Moshyedi (6).

“We got off to a slow start. It was nice to see the kids come together defensively in the second half,” said Churchill head coach Matt Miller, whose team didn’t allow Gaithersburg to score its first field goal after intermission until the 3:15 mark of the fourth quarter.

The Bulldogs hope to improve on their 2-1 record against their next opponent, unbeaten and perennial power Springbrook, on Friday at Churchill. Tip off is at 7 p.m. and Miller said his team cannot afford another slow start pitted against the Blue Devils’ experience and talent.

“To beat a team like Springbrook, we have to put four quarters of good basketball together, both offensively and defensively,” he said. “We won’t beat Springbrook if we play like we did for the first two quarters tonight. I was disappointed in our effort in the first half, but in the second half we showed our fans and ourselves how good we can be.”

Notes: Churchill’s JV boys basketball team also improved their record to 2-1, beating Gaithersburg, 51-50.