ALLISON PARK, PA--

Freeport had nothing to play for but pride, a strong finish… and Carson Kane.

Coming into Monday’s season finale, no one on the Hampton side expected Freeport to make it as close a game as they did. Credit to them. Senior night is a special night. But sometimes the moment can be just a little too distracting. Adding a playoff seed announced, it proved to be “a lot” but not overwhelming. 

The Talbots had to handle business first in their regular-season finale against Freeport. Not the most dominant performance, but Hampton edged out a 67-59 victory over the Yellow Jackets to end their season on a high note.

“We needed it,” said Zach Danner. “We just needed it for the confidence. We needed to know that we can go into a game, go against adversity, and come out with a win regardless of what’s going on.” 

“Adversity” was felt right out of the gate. Hampton allowed Freeport to score the first ten points of the game, much like what happened at Shaler. But Hampton was able to collect themselves and score twelve points of their own. The teams went toe-for-toe with each other after that, making for a competitive game in the season finale. At times, a little too close for comfort both on the scoreboard and on the court. 

Hampton did not have their best performance of the season. Even with 67 points on the board. The Talbots were sloppy for most of the game. The transition game specifically was an Achilles heel all night long. Turnovers were a problem. The Yellow Jackets capitalized on a good portion of points off turnovers. Something that has to be cleaned up before Peter’s Township next week. 

“Today’s games tough, right?” said head Coach Joe Cangilla. “Because I think the brackets game out and kids' heads were everywhere, senior night, and wanting to perform. It can be a lot. I think that added to things a little bit, and that’s not an excuse; it’s just part of how it was. I think we ended up settling with what we’ve done most of the year. Mixing things up on defense, trying to challenge our guys to play a little bit harder, despite everything going on. You [got to] win.”

Hampton finally settled in a little bit more in the second half. The ball moved better, and the defense forced the Jackets to miss some shots that allowed some odd-man breaks. Not to mention a couple of steals that lead to some free points. 

On the other bench, Freeport’s lone senior ended his high school career with an inspiring performance as well. Carson Kane couldn’t seem to miss at times as he almost carried the Jackets to victory by himself. He would hit four three-pointers and finish with 20 points to lead all Yellow Jackets in scoring. The opposing coach was much impressed. 

“Happy for him,” said Cangilla. “I’m glad he didn’t make many more [shots] because we would’ve been licking our wounds for sure. But he played well and credit to him. He played loose, and he played with energy. For him, as a senior, too, that’s kind of a cool way to end his career.”

Moving on…

Zach Danner continued to show his grit in the paint. He single-handedly got Hampton back into the game after that dreaded 10-0 start. Danner would go on to finish with a career high 24 points, with most of them in the paint surrounded by blue shirts. 

“I don’t think anyone on the team wanted to lose today,” Danner said. “I just wanted to do everything I could to try and get us there. And I think everyone else did the same thing, and we got there. I’m just proud to be out there with the guys I was with.”

One of those also had a career high in points… Jonas Cupps. Whose 21 points added to an already special senior night. 

“That was awesome,” Cupps would say afterward. The crowd wasn’t as big as the Shaler crowd, but the crowd really brought it tonight. A lot of family and close friends were there for me. So, it was really cool to be out there and get that milestone on a night like this.”

The coach was pleased to see those two go out like that as well. 

“We need it,” Cangilla said of both Danner and Cupps. “We need their production. It’s been fun watching them both grow as awesome basketball players, but awesome people too. It’s kind of a cool way to go out on your home court with those types of numbers."

It’s something that both Danner and Cupps (and the other seniors) will remember for a long time. But, for now, the focus is on the playoffs. 

Hampton officially clinched a playoff berth for the 22^nd consecutive year on Thursday night following Kiski’s loss. But Hampton had to wait until Monday afternoon to find out their postseason opponent during the KDKA Radio selection show. 

I mean, 22 years is 22 years. No matter the level. That’s not easy to do. Especially with a new set of student-athletes coming in every four years. The opponent is known. 

#7 Peter’s Township. 

The Indians have already been labeled a potential dark horse to make a run at the WPIAL championship. Peter’s Township is also a really hard place to play. Also, Hampton doesn’t have a strong road win this season. Their three road victories came against Plum, Armstrong, and Trinity. All teams that finished last or second to last in their respective sections. But Hampton is poised to remain focused and keep themselves loose before next Tuesday night. 

“I’m sure we're going to stick to a normal practice schedule," said Cupps. Obviously, the Norwin scrimmage this upcoming week is going to be really helpful for us. But I think just staying focused. A week without can be tough. It's going to be a little hard, but I think we just got to really have a week of focused practice, get healthy, and get ready to go.” 

Good win. Good finish. Onto Peter’s Township… 

ALLISON PARK, PA--

Following Kiski’s 64-57 loss to Penn Hills on Thursday, Hampton has officially clinched a spot in the WPIAL playoffs for the 22^nd consecutive year. 

The 2003-04 season was the last time Hampton did not qualify for the postseason. That streak goes longer than any of these players have been alive. But it’s a proud moment for these players to be part of a tradition that goes back so far. 

“It's amazing,” said Luca Romero Lauro and Jonas Cupps. 

Romero Lauro continued, “It’s the coaching, it’s the motto of our program. One of our goals was to make the playoffs. Keep that streak alive, that’s what our goal was, and that’s what we set our minds to, and we did it.”

First goal accomplished.  

Obviously, the ultimate goal is to win WPIALs and then some, but this is the first step.  

“Last year and even this year, we had some doubts,” Cupps explained. “We started off 3-6 last year. Big talks of the streak and keeping it alive was in the locker room. This year, having a slower start than we expected, those talks came up again. This program doesn’t quit. We finished strong. We played together. We had the coaches, our team, and the fans to support us through that.” 

22 years… don’t take that for granted. They sure don’t 

ALLISON PARK, PA-- 

Rivalries are fun, right? 

I know it’s not UNC-Duke, but to this community, it sure feels like it. 

It’s something about these games that brings the best in these athletes. The atmosphere could be felt throughout the Hampton High School gym. One of the biggest crowds of the season witnessed Hampton pull away with a 65-56 over the team across the street, the Shaler Titans. 

The whole place was lively all night, which the players fed off all night and acknowledged.

“It was amazing,” said Luca Romero Lauro. “The student section played a huge part in our win. [Shaler] missed a lot of free throws, if I remember correctly. And it was because that student section was getting loud right on the side of them.” 

That section was PULSATING. Pretty sure they could hear the noise all the way across the street in Glenshaw. 

“That was by far the biggest student section I’ve ever seen in my four years here,” Jonas Cupps would explain. “That was huge. The energy they brought from the start to the second the buzzers ended was massive for us. We think it got into the other teams' heads a little bit, and I feel like we had momentum the entire game. Even whenever [Shaler] was scoring.” 

Now this game, just like the last game, didn’t have a slow start. Even with a low score, the defenses on both sides came to play early. Not every fast start to games has to deal with offenses. But to their credit, Hampton has played a lot better in the first quarter lately. 

“We had some conversations about that,” said Cupps. “That was obviously one of the big things that was one of the negatives at the beginning of the season. Definitely the reason we lost at their place. They started off 10-0 against us and scored 25 points, I believe, in the first quarter. Us being able to slow down the game and keep it at our own pace while also making more shots and getting better shots. Instead of rushing into plays or positions was really helpful.” 

In the last game, four Titans scored in the double-digits. Tonight, just two. Deron Nixon had 15, and Trey Koserick had 11. When asked what defensive schematic worked best this time around, this was the coach's response. 

“Probably a little bit of man-to-man,” head coach Joe Cangilla said afterward. “[We've] got to try and focus on [Jordan] Epps, [Deron] Nixon, and [Nick] Perez. That’s a three-headed monster. That’s an impressive group. And I think focusing on them, and I mean, they have other kids that can step up and play. I thought it was competitive. I just thought we played hard and got the W.”

The “three-headed monster” has been the bread and butter for the Titans this season. They are the reason why Shaler qualified for the postseason as well. But Hampton did a good job of keeping most of limiting the damage that those three can cause. Nixon did drop 15. That’s going to happen. Good players are hard keep silent. Especially when there are multiple of one team. Take the Webb brothers from Indiana, for example. Even if one has an “off” day, the other is going to pick up the slack. Hampton’s man-to-man made it hard for Shaler to get anything going on offense. Points had to come from beyond the arc or from full-court breaks in which they caught Hampton very spread throughout the court. Which happened plenty of times. 

Also, the same could go the other way. The Talbots were also suffocated themselves at times, thanks to the swarming of Shaler’s defense. When Shaler went to their full-court presser or just a full-on double and triple team assault, Hampton couldn’t move the ball. Which caused turnovers and confusion on the court. 

However, even with Shaler coming out with a 12-6 run to begin the second half, the Talbots withstood the pressure and responded accordingly. 

“The past couple of games, I feel like we’ve become a different team,” Cupps said. “I think earlier in the year, if we had a lead like that and they started coming back, it might’ve fazed us a little more. But we stayed cool, calm, and collected and regrouped, hit some big shots, and took it away.” 

Teams grow as the season goes along. Jonas is right in that aspect. This team might have panicked if this game had been played in early December. We’re a week into February. This team never let that run get in their heads. The crowd that stuck with them all night long, sure played a factor in that as well. But the players showed up when it mattered the most.

And yeah… the big lead helped too.

“We have scorers in Gavin, Jonas, and Zach [Danner],” Romero Lauro said. “Whenever they're scoring against us, we can count on them to get us back.” 

Back to the rivalry thing…

It means a little more to the individuals in that locker room. Especially when you’re trying to avenge a loss. Beating one of your biggest rivals is the most satisfying feelings on can have. 

Mars, Shaler, Highlands (for those that go way back) …

You could tell by the way the players and coach reacted afterward that this one meant a lot. Not just to them, but to their peers, teachers, and community. 

“It feels amazing,” said Romero Lauro. 

Now I could end it there, and I think no one would be the wiser. But I digress. 

Romero Lauro continued, “This was probably the most anticipated game of the week. My friends were talking about it all week. There were just non-stop questions during school. And it feels good to bring out a dub for our school.” 

The coach said much the same.

“It felt pretty good,” Cangilla said. “I think our guys were really excited for the game, and they stepped up. They played extremely hard tonight. And that’s what it takes, right? If you're going to beat a really good team like Shaler, very well coached, they’ve got some kids that can really play. You've got to try and play harder. I think we got some extras and showed a little grit tonight.” 

Yeah… “grit”.

Grit gets you into the postseason for the 22^nd straight year. 

Good stuff…

ALLISON PARK, PA--

Gavin Guinn understood the assignment. 

His team was down and needed a spark.

Coming out of halftime in the Talbots, 54-48 win over Indiana on Wednesday night, the building felt deflated. A D-1 prospect seemed to be having the game of his life. The team was only down by seven at that point, but the deficit seemed much greater than that. At least from a spectator's perspective. 

But not to Guinn and the Talbots. Gavin would hit three 3-point shots in that quarter en route to a 17-4 run in that quarter alone. To which Indiana almost didn’t recover. Stunned would be a good way to put that quarter. 

“If I don’t shoot that shot, I’m getting taken out,” Gavin Guinn said. My teammates and my coaches expect me to take that shot. So, I’m confident in myself. Everyone is confident in me. I just had to step up and knock them down in crunch time when the moment is big.” 

Guinn would score sixteen of his twenty-two points in the second half. A big factor in the big win for Hampton. Guinn has become more confident in his shooting this season. As he mentioned, his teammates and his coaches trust him. But, more importantly, he trusts himself. 

You can tell in the way he speaks after games when he answers those types of questions.

“He’s got the green light,” said head coach Joe Cangilla. “I challenged him a little bit. But we had some really good conversations. But him and Jonas [Cupps] had the green light for us when we have some sets. But he took over with some drives, even, and really made some big, time plays for us.” 

His teammates took notice of that as well. They relied on him all night to make those shots when his team needed them the most. 

“They were huge,” Zach Danner said of Guinn’s three-pointers. “They really got our offense going. We didn’t have much movement going, and Gavin would just find the open spot. He’d get it in his hands and knock it down in rhythm. He had a great night. I think he needed that, and I think we all needed to see it.”

Guinn will need to continue shooting like that if Hampton wants to sneak into the postseason. Still a couple of tough matchups coming up. Most notably, Shaler. If Guinn can keep his hand hot, watch out. 

ALLISON PARK, PA-- 

When Aaron Webb had those 17 first-half points, the vibe in Hampton High School was universal.

A lot of sighs and frustration. And “Here we go again” looks from the players. Something Zach Danner would joke about postgame. But Hampton stood tall in their 54-48 victory over Indiana on Wednesday night. A game originally scheduled for Tuesday that was delayed 24 hours due to Mother Nature. 

What Webb did to them two days before Christmas was bound to happen again. Maybe even a better performance. 

Which actually did happen this time. Webb would finish with 27 in this contest. With most of them coming in the first half. 

You guessed it… 56% of Indiana’s points. That’s what the D-1 recruit brings to that team. Despite exploding in the first half, Webb was held to just 10 points in the second half. Most of them coming from the free-throw line. 

“That size. It’s the unteachables,” Gavin Guinn said of Aaron Webb. “That size is insane. He’s fast, he’s athletic. And he’s talented. He’s good at basketball, lot of skill. He’s a great player. It’s fun to play against him. He’s going to be good at the next level.”

Hampton once again endured one of its worst slow starts all season long. It took the Talbots almost five minutes to get on the board. The team looked sluggish out of the gate. The whole gym could hear Joe Cangilla’s message during the timeout between quarters. 

“Tonight was about us bringing it back together and showing what we can do,” Zach Danner said. “That’s what our coach was saying. We came out slow the first two quarters, and they were beating us. Coach kind of let us have it, and we just tried to bring it together and get everyone going. Gavin had a great game. Everyone just played their [butt] off on defense.”

Defense was a big part of that second half. Hampton held Indiana to a total of 4 points in the third quarter. 

You saw that right… 4 

The Talbots came out of halftime shot out of a cannon. Guinn was shooting from beyond the arc as if his life depended on it. Defense swarming every black shirt in sight. At times, it looked like there were 6-7 white jerseys on the floor. The message was clear. It’s now or never. 

When asked what the coach’s message was at halftime, Zach Danner responded accordingly. 

“Right here, right now,” Danner explained. “[Cangilla] was like, ‘You guys need to figure it out.’ He can call plays and put us in defenses. But it don’t matter if we’re not out there making plays.”

“Across the board, we all kind of needed it,” said head coach Joe Cangilla. We’ve had some frustrating moments, and we’ve gotten stalled out a couple of times. Kids are getting a little frustrated. And the first half kind of showed the same way. It’s a cool thing that the kids were able to respond the way they did. That comes from seniors stepping up. Senior huddles at halftime and just to play at the end of the day. Really saw that, especially in the third quarter.” 

That third quarter was the turning moment in the game. Oftentimes, it's just a singular moment. I.e. a made or missed shot, a turnover, a rebound, etc. But tonight was an entire quarter. 

Moving on…

Zach Danner continues to get the dirty work done for the Talbots underneath the hoop. Tonight was probably his toughest task yet with both Webb brothers on each shoulder all night long. 

“It’s good to know it goes both ways,” Danner said of the respect between him and the Webbs. “We’re both down there. We respect each other, fighting for the ball. Doing everything we can to put points on the board for our team and try to get us the win in the end. It feels a lot better when it’s earned. Tough.”

Earned with a capital E.

Having both Webb brothers breathing down your neck (both literally and figuratively) is not fun to deal with. But Zach battled through and finished with a well-deserved double-double. 14 points, 11 rebounds. 

“Those Webb brothers are tough,” Cangilla said. “They’re very talented, both of them. And Zach was guarding both of them throughout the game. It’s a matter of trying to make things a little bit difficult. They are going to get theirs. Darrius is very good with his footwork and his post position. Aaron is a stud. We just have to try and contest it. They’re going to make some. But we got to make sure we get those rebounds on the ones they don’t make.” 

This was a good response from the previous two games. Hampton is fighting for their playoff lives. A 22^nd consecutive playoff berth is on the line. They know that. But playing at home makes life a little easier. Even when a team like Indiana with a player like Aaron Webb shows up at the front door. 

“Got to take care of things at the home court,” said Cangilla. “One of the keys to our game is ‘protect home court’. Penn Hills got us. We got Shaler coming here pretty soon, which will be a big one as well. But that’s always a goal coming into a season. If you protect your home court, and you get a couple of good road ones, you might have a chance to get in.”

Hampton has fed off the home crowd all season long. They’re going to have to if they want to sneak into the tournament. 

The road is getting narrow. The end is in sight. Hampton needs good performances down the stretch. And yeah… they’re going to enjoy these last few weeks too. Especially the seniors. If you think about it, playoff basketball has already started for the Talbots. But the enjoyment is going to be front and center these next two weeks. 

“I’m excited to play,” Guinn said. “I love playing in big games, big atmospheres. We got Shaler, that’d be a huge game. We got Armstrong, that’s another huge section game. I’m excited to play in some big games with big playoff implications.”  

ALLISON PARK, PA-- 

Well, it wasn’t 31-26, but it sure felt like it at times.

Hampton’s chance at a section title took a big hit on Tuesday night following a 54-45 loss to the Penn Hills Indians. Both teams got off to mediocre starts, trading baskets in the early portions of the game. Hampton had some sloppy play at the end of the 1^st quarter, but managed to tie the game at 13 in the final seconds of the quarter. 

Depending on how you like the game of basketball, the start of the 2^nd quarter was a defensive masterpiece or an offensive nightmare. It took almost two full minutes for either team to score a basket. In fact, there was a foul committed before there was a score. So, it makes sense that only 12 combined points were scored in that quarter.

Plays were left on the court. The coach made no secret of that.

“That’s a top-tier section team,” head coach Joe Cangilla said afterwards. “We have to make a lot of plays. A lot of winning plays to get that one. I think there were some opportunities we didn’t grab the ball; we didn’t have that extra half-second of focus. And they did. That’s a good win for them."

A good win for them indeed. Hampton needed this one to keep their section title hopes alive. That’s still in the mix, but Hampton now needs significant help for that to happen.

Zach Danner continued to have another strong game underneath the basket. He would fight for every inch he could find. At times, he would part the Red Sea, bank the ball of the backboard, and find himself at the free-throw line. He would finish with another 19 hard-earned points, 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks. 

“I liked Zach’s aggressiveness,” Cangilla continued. “I think he’s looking to score a little bit more. We just have to play off of that a little bit more. Got to look at the turnover numbers and see what those look like. But the ball was precious, and we got to do a better job with the basketball.”

Turnovers were an issue. At times, it seemed no one wanted possession of the ball. But it was Penn Hills who controlled the time of possession when it mattered the most. Not to mention how clutch they were at the free-throw line. 

Not to mention, Penn Hills’ All-Section guard Amon Hawthorne, who at times cut his way through the Talbot defense like a knife cutting butter. He finished with 27 points.

Uh huh… That’s 50% of the Indian’s points. 

He was by far the best player on the court. This came after a relatively quiet first half as well.

It also didn’t help that your best defender, Andrew Butler, got into foul trouble down the stretch and would ultimately foul out in the final moments of the game. 

“He’s been playing really well,” Cangilla said of Hawthorne. “He’s playing loose, he’s playing free. He gets his hands on a lot of basketballs. He’s very cerebral. He knows how to jump passes. And then he’s just a menace in transition. He gets the ball, and if you don’t stop his north-south, then you’re not going to stop him.”

Hampton has lost their first game at home this season. They came into Tuesday night a perfect 6-0 in the new gym. Hampton needed to take advantage of the home court. Hampton still has opportunities to do so in the coming weeks. Shaler and Indiana still are scheduled to come to Allison Park. 

Hampton has a tough game coming up against Kiski. The Cavaliers are still a good team, despite what their record states. 

Good news, Hampton beat Kiski. Bad news, it’s on the road. Hampton has not played particularly well on the road this season. The Talbots have one victory away from Hampton High. And it was against Plum.

“Kiski’s good,” Cangilla put plainly. “Kiski [is] going to be tough up there, they have a bunch of athletes, couple shooters. We just have to watch some film. Learn from it a little bit and get back to work. That’s what we have to do.”

Yeah… 

It’s a tough loss. Learning is part of the growth at this level. Or any level for that matter. The Talbots were visibly frustrated after the game. As would anyone. 

The Talbots now have a chance to get back on track in a hostile environment. Against a team they’ve already beaten. And held to 35 points. 

Oh, and get Zach Danner to the free-throw line, too. 

ALLISON PARK, PA-- 

Andrew Butler isn’t necessarily on the court because he drops 20 points a game. 

In fact, quite the opposite. One could argue that his role is more important than all the points his teammates put up every game. While points are nice, defense is what gets you playing time in this sport. 

It’s something the senior takes pride in every game. 

“My defense is definitely something I take pride in,” Butler said. “And I know my teammates and coaches have a lot of confidence in me to guard the best guard on the other team. I feel like that’s one of my main roles on this team, so it's something I [got to] do every night.” 

Butler has been tasked with guarding the best the WPIAL has to offer. And while not everything has gone his or Hampton’s way, you can bet Butler is lined up next to the opposing team’s best player. 

Butler’s hard work doesn’t go unnoticed by his teammates. Butler knows that. So do his teammates. His work ethic is part of the reason Hampton is 3^rd in points allowed per game in the section. 

“AB [Andrew Butler] was given a role at the beginning of the year, and he’s absolutely perfected it,” Zach Danner said regarding Butler. “I think he’s been our best defender this year.” 

The attention to detail is an attribute that his coach notices every day in practice and in game settings. This is part of the reason Butler is trusted with those big tasks on defense. 

“He listens,” head coach Joe Cangilla said of Butler. “We take pride in our film sessions and our scouting reports. And we have assignments. I would agree with Zach, Andrew [is] stepping up, he’s our floor general out there as our point guard, and he usually has a tough defensive assignment. It's critical for us to get where we’re at with him playing that way.” 

Uh huh...

Those interviews were just as enthusiastic as they sounded. 

ALLISON PARK, PA-- 

Losing to your rival can put a damper on any season. 

Hampton wanted to respond well following a tough road loss to Shaler on Tuesday night. And did they ever, with a rousing 72-53 win over Plum on Friday. 

“I challenged them,” head coach Joe Cangilla said. “We’ve had some games where we get lackadaisical, we have slow starts. We’re not all in it. And I think for most of the game we were focused. And all of that starts with defense, and that transitions to some of our offense. I think we scored the most we did in a single game tonight.” 

Hampton indeed scored a season-high 72 points tonight. The previous high was 65 against Bethel Park on December 30^th. 

Hampton had a better start tonight than the game they played at Plum over a month ago. In that game, Hampton led 8-0 after the 1^st quarter. Something that needed to change in this game if they wanted a more comfortable win over the Mustangs.

“We’ve been focusing on a lot more on our focus, being together, body language,” said Zach Danner. “Just showing that we’re a next-play team. We’re just going to keep going regardless of what’s happening. I felt we weren’t that way earlier in the season.” 

Great stuff from the senior. 

That focus is going to be needed even more as the tough opposition lies ahead. And more energy is going to be needed in those games, especially early on. 

“We wanted to [come into] this game with a lot of fire and confidence,” said Andrew Butler. “Earlier in the week, we played Shaler and came out flat, and we ended up losing that game. We wanted to learn from that and wanted to come out with tenacity.”

Hampton's “tenacity” showed up in quarter number one. The Talbots led 14-7 at the end of one with a stronger mindset and an eagerness not let their pass haunt them. 

But what went differently in this game (other than the score) than the last game? 

This question was posed to all three of the interviewees, of whom you just read two of the responses above. This was the head coach's response to that same question. 

“First section game,” Cangilla would begin. “Both sides got some nerves going. Dave [Pucka] does a great job over there. His kids are disciplined. They’re going to be in their stance; they’re going to be playing extremely hard. And Plum’s a tough place to play. They play it tough. We built a little bit of a lead there, and they came storming back. And we’re a month from that, and his team’s better. We made eight 3’s tonight. That’s a huge change in any game, and I think playing at home [is] nice.” 

I’d say so… Hampton is 6-0 at home this season. 

Even with all the 3-pointers made tonight, a lot of the scoring came down below the basket. Just ask Zach Danner, who practically lived underneath the hoop all night long. 

“I felt more calm,” Danner would say of his performance. “Everything felt a lot easier. I just felt more confident today. Hopefully, that keeps going.”

His teammate agreed. 

“He was finishing inside,” Andrew Butler said of Danner. “We feel we have an advantage with him down there, down low in the post. He came out with a lot of physicality tonight.” 

Physicality is something that is going to be needed with the schedule the way it is. 

One thing to note is that Hampton has been more aggressive when it comes to loose balls on the floor. It was something that Cangilla wanted to see more of when interviewed after the game against Armstrong. Tonight, Hampton continued their pursuit of those loose balls. Even with limited opportunities. 

The next two opponents are Penn Hills and Kiski. Hampton beat Kiski and probably should’ve beaten Penn Hills. Both games were offensive slugfests. Or defensive wizardry, depending on how you look at it. Hampton lost 31-26 to Penn Hills and beat Kiski 36-35 on a last-second Zach Danner free throw. If Hampton can keep up the strong defensive play, they can really have a chance to climb the standings in the Section 2 Division. Remember, only the top 4 teams in each of the 4 sections qualify for the postseason. Hampton is aiming for its 22^nd consecutive playoff berth. 

“Continued progression,” as Joe Cangilla would put it plainly. “As I tell the guys; be playing our best basketball in February. And keep getting the most out of practice. Sometimes it’s a little more on the lighter end, with some film review and some review of some sets. But other times, we got to push each other harder and mix up the groups. So, it all starts in practice.”

There was an old saying that “Perfect Practice makes Perfect.” I think any coach would agree with his statement above. This schedule is not about to get any easier. Penn Hills, Kiski, Shaler, and Indiana are all still on the list. Bad news, Hampton is 1-4 against those opponents so far. But the good news is, 3 of those 4 games are at home. Kiski is the lone road game. Once again, Hampton beat the Cavaliers. And Hampton is 6-0 at home. Yes 6-0! They feed off the energy from the Talbot faithful that pack 2929 McCully Road. 

“[Cangilla] just said that we can do it,” Danner said about Cangilla’s message following the Shaler game. “We just kept going, and let's do it. And that’s what we did tonight.” 

No one needs to tell this team that the next few weeks will make or break their season. The team needs to take Zach Danner’s quote to heart… 

“Focus on focus.”

ALLISON PARK, PA-- Before Friday night's victory over the Armstrong Riverhawks, head coach Joe Cangilla hung images of last year’s home loss to the Riverhawks all over the Talbots' locker room. 

A little reminder to the team of what happened to them on their home court a season ago against the same opponent. An opponent that won one section game all season last year. 

Want to guess which game they won? Uh huh. 

Message received.

“I think so,” head coach Joe Cangilla said when asked if he thought his message was received. “I think the kids were excited. It did show that we had a little bit of time off. But then in the second quarter, we started playing some basketball, and the energy was there.” 

In reference, Cangilla was referring to a sluggish start by both teams that resulted in a 9-7 score at the end of the 1^st quarter. 

“He got us pissed off,” said Luca Romero Lauro. “It pushed us to get the win.” 

Needless to say, the players got the message and made sure that what happened last year didn’t happen again. 

“He wanted us to get back at them, defend home court,” Romero Lauro would continue. “And we’re going to do the same thing when we go to Armstrong.” 

Perhaps this is something that Cangilla will want to continue if he wants to keep his team motivated. It worked tonight, so perhaps it could work again. Hampton has two section losses this season. Penn Hills and Indiana. 

Just saying… 

“It’s big momentum,” Gavin Guinn said. “We’re on a three-game win streak now. And we’re ready to go for Shaler. It's going to be a tough game, tough environment. But we’re excited, and we’re ready to go.” 

Shaler beat Hampton at Shaler last year, 59-48. 

Does anyone have pictures from that game? 

Asking for a friend… 

ALLISON PARK, PA-- 

Slow starts are painful. 

Both Hampton and Armstrong felt that tonight. But Hampton was able to prevail in the end, coming away with a 56-40 win, handing the Riverhawks their eighth straight loss. 

Both teams got off to ugly starts at the beginning of the game. It was noticeable from both sides as the teams traded turnover after turnover in the early stages of the 1^st quarter. When asked about what went wrong in the early going, the head coach responded with the following. 

“Careless turnovers, we have to be better and smarter on,” Joe Cangilla said. “We’ll live with some of the missed shots as long as we have some rebounders. I think we were just getting our footing back against good competition. It’s tough to simulate that in practice.” 

The slow start was quickly evaporated in the 2^nd quarter as Hampton was able to find some shots and pull away from Armstrong a little bit. Hampton was able to outscore Armstrong 19-8 in the 2^nd quarter and take a 28-15 lead at the half. This followed a sluggish 1^st quarter in which Hampton only led 9-7 at the end of one. 

But as the offense woke up, so did the defense. Hampton’s defense swarmed the Riverhawks all night long. Guys were diving on the floor constantly. So much so that it seemed like at least one Talbot was on the floor every other second. It’s the type of play that had been lacking somewhat in the first half of the season. But it seems that is about to change. 

“This year we’ve been a pretty good defensive team,” said Gavin Guinn. “Our coach gets on us about effort and everything. And both of our assistant coaches they’re always telling us to get on the ground, get boards, play tough. I think that’s what separates us from a lot of teams. We’re willing to get on the ground, willing to get those dirty loose balls and really get after it.”

Even will all the ground effort tonight, the coach would like to see more. 

“I’d like to get them on the ground a little bit more, to be frank,” Cangilla said. “But, that’s awesome, I think that’s fun basketball. Everyone’s involved. One guy dives on the floor, passes to another guy, the other guy passes ahead, and hopefully it’s a layup. And that’s how in my mind we want to play when we're trying to push the tempo a little bit.” 

It seems that Cangilla’s dream is coming true… somewhat. 

As he was answering the question, you could tell he wanted to see more from his guys. But this was a good start. Being aggressive is something that Hampton will need as they head into tougher section play. With the 10 days off between games, they had plenty of time to work on Cangilla’s vision. 

“We had four practice days in a row, and we just worked on defense, flying around,” said Luca Romero Lauro. “Rotating to the ball, jumping passes, anticipating passes. I think that week of practice really just pushed us to get more steals today.” 

Steals were plentiful in this game. From both teams. Part of it was schematics. Part of it is ball luck. (Much like puck luck in hockey.) Hampton’s identity, at least in terms of defense, is not exclusive to man-to-man or zone. Cangilla plays to the team's strengths in the moment. He goes with what works. Keeping the other team on their toes. But tonight, one scheme stuck out above the rest. 

“Well, for me, I think I had two steals whenever we were running our 2-3 press,” Romero Lauro would continue. “All around our 1-3-1, our 2-3, I think those two really stuck out as us getting the ball, taking it away from them, forcing turnovers.” 

Luca would finish with 4 big steals. 

“I think tonight our 1-3-1 was really good,” Guinn explained. “Overall, we can really play anything. We’ve shown 2-3, 1-3-1, we’ve played our run and jump, full court man, half court man, we’ve switched and stuff. We’re a very versatile team. We can play defense in so many ways, which really helps us.” 

Good stuff…

And he’s right. Having multiple styles of defense is a great tool to have. It can be the difference in stopping a team or a player in a scheme that doesn’t play well for the opposition. 

Moving forward…

Something that was a welcome sight was Luca Romero Lauro taking shots from beyond the arc. Something that Romero Lauro wants to improve upon as the season moves on. He wants to stay confident as the season progresses and the stakes get higher. 

“I’m confident,” Romero Lauro said bluntly. I used to [not have] a lot of confidence, but coach told me I [got to] shoot it if I’m open, and that’s what I did.”

His coach agreed. 

“He’s [got to] shoot them,” Cangilla said of Romero Lauro. “It's catch and shoot, especially when guys are guarding Gavin and Jonas tight. He’s [going to] have some looks. If he doesn’t catch it clean, then we’ll live to play a little bit more in the possession. But he can shoot that.” 

Luca will need to shoot in the coming weeks as section play gets harder. After tonight, the team heads to Shaler on Tuesday night. Shaler has a solid team that can score and doesn’t give up a ton of points. Hampton still holds the final playoff spot in Section 2. Shaler is currently the section leader with a 4-1 record. Hampton, now 3-2, sits only a game behind them. This team knows what lies ahead. They’ll take the win and get right back to work. 

“We’re happy with the win, but we’re definitely not satisfied,” said Romero Lauro. “We got a big one [coming up] Tuesday against Shaler. And that’s going to be a big one. Huge game for us.” 

Dreams do come true. And right now, all the diving on the court and steals are making Joe Cangilla’s dreams a reality. 

That’ll make a difference down the stretch. 

ALLISON PARK, PA--

Scoring is fun, huh?

Hampton was guided by Gavin Guinn’s 20 points in a 65-34 rout of the Bethel Park Black Hawks. The Talbots have been struggling to find points lately, but were able to muster up a season high 65 points vs the Hawks. That is the greatest number of points they’ve scored since the season opener vs Deer Lakes 26 days ago. Hampton came away with 64 in that one. 

Over the past 2 days, Hampton scored a total of 116 points against Bethel and Obama. Before Monday, the Talbots had only scored 107 points in their three previous games combined. Even with a scoring outburst over the last 48 hours, head coach Joe Cangilla thought more was left on the table. 

“I would’ve liked to come up with a little more in the third quarter with a little bit of a push,” Cangilla said. “But I mean that’s credit to Bethel Park’s defense. I think their coach wanted them to play harder in the second half. And [Bethel Park] came out and played hard, and [Bethel Park] beat us in that quarter. Score by quarter. So that was a testimate to them and playing hard over there. Again, stuff we have to work on. When we are in that situation, just have look to be even more aggressive.” 

Aggressiveness was the name of the game. Bethel Park is a physical team despite the record. Will Thomas and Michael Bruckner were playing hard all night. They made Hampton earn all their points. 

“Well, I would try to find the open spots and my teammates would just find me,” said Luke Claus. “And I’d just finish my layups.” 

Pretty simple… right? 

Luke Claus would finish with a well-earned 12 points on the night. He did exactly what he said he did. Claus lives underneath the basket. Tonight was no different. He battled his way to 12 points. None of the Bethel Park bigs gave him anything easy. 

“That’s a physical team we were going up against,” Gavin Guinn would explain afterwards. “Some big football kids. And I was getting some good looks. So, I could focus and make them count. I haven’t been shooting well this season. So, it was good to get back into a groove and really get to it tonight.” 

Thomas and Bruckner would lead their respective team in scoring and were defended pretty well for a majority of the night. Handling them is not easy. Hampton found that out the hard way. 

“I thought we did okay,” Cangilla would say about their job defending Bruckner and Thoams. “Couple of times, Thomas just has a knack to really get to the hoop. Made a couple of tough, tough and ones. A good little guard, really crafty with the ball. Bruckner, I mean, he’s a load. Big, strong kid. Showed he could shoot a little bit, too. I thought we did okay. I think when they took Thomas out, we were able to speed them up a little bit. So, that was intentional.” 

Just “Okay” meant holding Bruckner and Thomas to 15 points combined. But Hampton will take it. If the defense can play like that, this team will quickly find themselves in a playoff spot once again. 

Gavin Guinn and Jonas Cupps were named to the all-tournament team. Guinn mentioned he wasn’t shooting well this season, which is true, but if he can shoot as he did against Bethel Park, Guinn will be a is going to be a reason why Hampton could win some big games in January. 

“A lot of my teammates trust me,” said Guinn. “My coaches trust me. They want me to shoot that shot, and I trust myself, so if I have the space, I’m going to shoot it. And I’m confident. [My teammates] need that from me.” 

His actual teammate agrees. 

“[Cupps and Guinn] are our best shooters by far,” Claus said. “They really have our back.”

“They’ve improved so much, both of them,” Cangilla said of Guinn and Cupps. “They’re green light guys for us. And I want them to shoot and shoot confidently. That really spaces the floor for us. So, that’s going to continue, and when they have an open shot, I mean if they pass on it, they’re going to come sit by me, and they know that.” 

For a baseball reference, Guinn and Cupps would have the green light to swing on a 3-0 count with the bases loaded. 

You can see there is no fear with these players. Sometimes there are two or three guys surrounding them when they shoot. But that doesn’t deter them. If they miss, so be it. Go play defense and get it on the next possession. 

Moving forward…

January is going to be a test. Some really good teams are in sight for Hampton. Indiana, Shaler, Kiski, all on the schedule. Sometimes twice. Hampton will look to build upon these wins to gain confidence moving towards a tough January. It’s something the team is incredibly aware of. 

The coach mentioned “climbing in terms of improving”. They’ll also need to climb in the standings. The Talbots currently sit in 5^th place in the Class 5A Section 2 conference. If the playoffs were to start now, Hampton would be out. But the good news is that they only sit a half-game behind Kiski, who currently holds the final spot for the postseason in the section. 

Even better news, Hampton beat Kiski. 

“These were too big wins to get to 6-4,” Gavin Guinn said. “I think our team chemistry, we’re all really playing good together. Our defense has been really good. We're finding it on offense. Our rebounding [has] been good, and everybody’s playing hard. Even the subs off the bench. They come in, give good minutes, keep the lead. We’ve been working our butts off, and it's really been paying off.” 

Good stuff from one of the leaders of the squad. They will need to continue to guide Hampton to its 22^nd consecutive playoff berth. 

January next… buckle up. 

ALLISON PARK, PA-- 

Close games are starting to become a habit for Hampton. 

Tonight was no different. 

Obama Academy threw everything it had at the Talbots. Hampton handled mostly everything with strong defense and just enough offense when they needed it. Hampton’s 51-43 victory over the Eagles on Monday night was the third single-digit win of the season. The Talbots have five victories on the season. 

Obama has scorers. That’s no secret. They came into Monday leading the city league in scoring, averaging 58 points per game. Naron Jackson Jr. is a dual threat. He can defend, and he definitely can score. He would finish with 16 points. It’s something Andrew Butler got to experience firsthand all night long. 

“We knew [Jackson] was going to be a big focus for us,” said Andrew Butler. “I’ve played with him in the past before so I kind of know what he likes to do. It felt come out on top against a good team like that and a good player like him.” 

The team mixes its defensive schemes more times than one cares to count over the course of a game. They are not a solely man-to-man or zone team. They play it by ear and adjust to what works. 

“I think just that,” head coach Joe Cangilla said about changing up the defensive schematics. “For me, it’s a lot of personal-based. And [Obama] had a very talented guard in Naron Jackson and a pretty strong big. There were some lineups, my traditional starters, I didn’t think matchup that well with them. So, we had to do some different zones. A little 2-3, a little 1-3-1, but sometimes switching to man gives us a little energy boost. And then continuing to try to keep the other team on their toes, I think, is important with this, with all the switching.” 

“Pressure is the biggest thing,” said Tanner Ohodnicki. “We had good energy going into [the game], good energy through the game. Really stepped it up after halftime. We just didn’t want it to be like Indiana and kept the pressure up.”

Ohodnicki got a rare start on Monday. Normally, Zach Danner would start, but Joe Cangilla was comfortable utilizing Ohodnicki in the first half. 

“Tanner is right there,” said Cangilla of Ohonicki’s start. He’s done a lot of things for us, and he’s getting a ton of varsity experience minutes this year, which is only going to help him for next year.” 

Tanner was pleased with getting the start as well. 

“It felt good,” Ohonicki said. “I felt my energy was good. I felt like we played well overall. Got the dub. Felt good.”

Feeling good is something the team will want to feel heading into their game tomorrow against Bethel Park. 

Bethel Park is still searching for their first win, but they play hard, and they can give teams a run for their money. Which is exactly what they did in the first half of their game against North Hills. While the Indians were able to pull away from the Black Hawks in the end, Bethel Park hung with them until the final minutes of the first half. 

Hampton is not overlooking the Hawks. When overlooking a team, that’s when they can get you. It’s a memory Andrew Butler recalled all too well from a season ago. 

“We just want to treat every team the same, pretty much,” Butler said. We went into [the] Highlands earlier in the year, thinking we were just going to roll them, and they got us. They beat us at their place. We want to learn from that and not let that happen again.” 

For reference, those are what are known as “trap games”. Although there is no such thing. 

Hampton needs to be ready to go. Physicality is the Black Hawks' DNA. Not to mention, they can shoot when left open. Will Thomas and Michael Bruckner took balls to the hoop all game long against North Hills. They created opportunities at that basket and made the Indians commit fouls. North Hills’ biggest guy, Max Piekarski, even fouled out towards the end of the game. 

They will make you foul and earn your baskets. Something Cangilla is well aware of. 

“Those kids play very hard,” said Cangilla. “Their coach is very energetic and is trying to get everything out of them with mixing in young guys too. That is going to be the focus of our team is to stay focused. It’s going to be a physical game. They are a very physical team. I think [Rico Abbondanza] has a couple injuries, but they’re going to play very hard. The hungry dog gets the bone. We still have to want it tomorrow regardless of who we’re playing.”

The hungriest dog will get the bone. 

Focus is key. As we talk about all the time. One game at a time. This is the second set of back-to-backs that Hampton had endured this season. Earlier in the month, the Talbots had three straight games in a row from December 4-6. Mother Nature had something to do with that one, however. 

Gather wins now, so that when section play picks up again, you have confidence for those bigger games that are yet to come. Hampton still sits a spot outside of the playoff picture. But as the confidence builds, so can the wins. 

All in all, that was a solid win against a team that will be competing for a city championship again. Not to mention handling two of the better players in the league pretty well in this one. Jackson and Connor are playmakers. They are going to score no matter what. But limiting the damage was key to the victory. 

For Hampton, they have to stay focused. Just as their coach suggested. Walk into the gym tomorrow like Mike Tomlin did, leaving Ford Field in Detroit last week. 

That’s the attitude against a team that they need to take care of business against. 

It can do wonders for a team. 

So, I’ve been told… 

ALLISON PARK, PA-- 

Points are hard to come by. 

Hampton has been living that reality over the last two games. For what it's worth, the team has been dealing with sickness over the last few days, which at times has contributed to slow starts overall. Friday’s 36-35 victory over the first-place Kiski Cavaliers was no different. 

Hampton’s unflattering start allowed Kiski to grab an early 8-0 lead right out of the gate. But the Talbots were not fazed by the sucker punch to begin the game. 

“I think we were just going a little too fast,” said Jonas Cupps. “I had a turnover; we were rushing the shots. But then we got a rebound. We pushed it. They messed up their defense, hit a three, and then after that, the momentum just started coming to us, and we started picking up the pace there.”

The pace was key. 

“Sometimes you try some things, and they don’t work,” head coach Joe Cangilla said with a chuckle. “You have to change up personal, make a change, and the kids responded. The kids responded to a defensive change and made a couple hoops. And the game was tight ever since. So once we came back a little, I think we had a one-point lead after one. So that was good.” 

Kiski was moving the ball well up and down the court all night. Sometimes a little too well. DJ Lindenfelser and Amaree Gonzalez were pushing the transition game all night. But they struggled to find buckets when it mattered the most. 

“We started in a zone, just trying to contain their two best guys,” said Zach Danner. “Their guys were just hitting some shots out of it. They were playing really well out of the zone. We switched out of it. We got a hand in every guy's face. We went to man, closed out on shooters, and it just worked out. We were just letting the guys do too much whenever we continued zone.” 

Reiterating, offense was hard to come by. For both teams. The coach emphasized it's still December. Stuff still needs to be worked out. And he didn’t seem too concerned. 

“Yeah… we’re still December,” Cangilla said with a smirk. “So, we got some things we [got to] work on. Again, to refine some things. Be a little bit stronger with the basketball…”

“It still is early,” Cangilla continued. “So, that’s one thing I’ll keep thinking about.” 

“The slow offensive start isn’t going to last long,” Jonas Cupps would express. 

Safe to say no one is worried about the offense. They know this is just a small bump in the road. Now’s the time to work out those kinks. There’s no panic with this team. Nor should there be. Coming into Friday night, they were averaging 49.1 points per game. 

So again, there’s no stress. 

Speaking of stress, Zach Danner was feeling that in those final minutes when he went to the free-throw line three times, coming away with just one of those shots. But it was the most important one of them all. Danner drove to the net and would be awarded an “and one” shot after the officials deemed a goaltend was committed on the shot. That tied the game at 35. 1:07 remained on the clock.

He later would get a chance at redemption when he would head back to the line after a foul was awarded late in the game. After missing his “and one”, he would shoot another two. 

First one, missed.

Third time's a charm. When asked what was going through his mind, this was his answer.

“I just have to make this,” Danner said of his final free throw. “I missed the last two. I’m supposed to be a better free-throw shooter for us. I think I was shooting 1-3, maybe 2-5, or 2-4 at that point, something not great. I had to hit it. I had to make it. I missed it earlier in clutch…” 

Oh, and on top of that, pure chaotic screaming coming from the visiting fans' side of the bleachers. Not an easy task. But he made the one that mattered. Can’t complain there. 

Pure chaotic screaming was coming from both sides of the bleachers. The crowd was lively all night. There’s something about a Christmas-themed game. The student section was decked out in their holiday best. Cheering as if it were the only way to get on Santa’s nice list. Something the players took note of. 

“It did everything for us,” said Danner. “Just looking up and seeing everyone so invested in the game and so excited to be there and cheer for their peers. So, it feels really nice when you’re out there.” 

Good stuff. 

Before Danner’s game-winning free-throw, with 11.9 seconds on the clock, coach Cangilla would call a timeout and speak to his squad for what would be the final time of the evening. When asked what was said in that meeting, Danner gave insight. 

“He drew up a play,” Danner explained. “Me to get the ball, fake handoff to Jonas, which is one of our best shooters. And he said ‘just get it to the rim’”. I got fouled, and goaltend, and one. I’m happy how that happened.” 

This win was huge. Not just from a standings standpoint, but also a confidence builder. Hampton has their longest road trip of the season coming up. And not by the number of games, but by distance traveled. 

Indiana. 

Yeah… not fun. 

The Indiana trip usually is not kind to anyone who is coming from the greater Pittsburgh region. Not to mention, Indiana is a tall task this season. 

Literally. Aaron Webb is 6’8. 

Hampton is confident with this win. Kiski is a good team. They were the section leaders coming into Friday night. Build wins now. A win is a win, is a win. No matter how good, bad, or ugly. 

“We’ll enjoy tonight,” said Cangilla. “We have a little fundraiser tomorrow for our shot-a-thon, so I’m excited about that. And then we’ll be back to business on Monday and head to Indiana on Tuesday.”

Enjoyment is good… right?

“We’re all looking forward to the winter break,” Cupps said. “We’ve been dealing with a lot. We’re pretty excited to go out, and if we beat Indiana on Tuesday, they’re a really good team, but I think we have everyone we can to beat them. So, we all know that beating them is going to get us even more momentum. And makes us feel really together.”

Together. Remember that. 

ALLISON PARK, PA-- Basketball is a funny game. Hampton found that out pretty quickly on Thursday night in their season opener. 

The Hampton Talbots opened their 2025-26 campaign with a 64-44 win against their next-door neighbors, the Deer Lakes Lancers. It was the 19^th time the schools have met since 2006. 

The game itself got off to a slow start offensively as both teams struggled to find baskets throughout the first half. In fact, only 10 total points were scored in the 1^st quarter alone. With it being the 1^st game, there were understandably some nerves to be let out. 

Some of those nerves carried over from a 48-hour delay on tip-off due to inclement weather that came through the Pittsburgh area Tuesday morning, the day originally scheduled for the game. It was something head coach Joe Cangilla noticed in the first half of the game. He spoke about it pregame, saying his team was ready to go Tuesday, but had to wait until Thursday to get going.

Things settled down after the first 16 minutes, and those missed buckets were few and far between. 

“The first one’s always nerve-racking,” head coach Joe Cangilla said.  “Maybe set the game back a little bit in the first half, but it was both teams playing really tough defense, just couldn’t make a shot. But it was all jitters, I think a little bit, and then got loose a little bit in the second half, and we were able to make some big shots.” 

The turning point in the game came in the middle of the 3^rd quarter when Jonas Cupps made three consecutive three-pointers to give Hampton some cushion in an otherwise close game. 

“I work on my shot a lot,” Cupps said. “The first half, I think we had a little first-game jitters. But that didn’t really faze me at all. I’ve missed more than three before, and I just keep shooting. I trust myself, my teammates, and my coach trusts me, so I felt like I had to keep shooting to keep us in the game.” 

His coach agreed.

“He works very hard at his game, “Cangilla said of Cupps. “He’s trying to play at the next level, and we’re mindful of that. When he gets hot, we have to get the basketball. That was huge. I agree with you; I think it was a big part of the game. A couple defensive stops, and then his threes went from a six-point lead to a twelve-point lead. Kind of stayed a little bit more than that the rest of the way.” 

Cupps would finish with five total three-pointers and 17 points overall, all of which came in the second half of play. As did most of the Talbots' scoring. 

You could see the confidence building as the second half rolled along. Deer Lakes had no answer for the Talbots as they kept pushing the ball up and down the court. While Hampton won by 20 points, they had to earn all 60 of them as Deer Lakes played scrappy and tough all night. 

“The message was get a win,” said Gavin Guinn. “That’s all that matters, is get a win. “Whoever scores, scores. We all play like a team. That’s a big part of our game. We didn’t play well in the first half, but no one was fazed. We kept going, and we had a big second half to close out the game.” 

Guinn would finish tied for second in scoring with Deer Lakes’ Collin Rodgers. Both would finish the night with 13 points. 

Defensively, coach Cangilla used a nice variety of man-to-man and 2-3 zone. At times, Deer Lakes was able to break through, but not to a significant amount, where coach Cangilla pulled the plug on one or the other. It was more so the state of his team throughout the course of the game. 

When asked about his defensive thought process, he responded accordingly. 

“Couple guys in foul trouble,” Cangilla said. “Sometimes I like to put them on the back line a little bit. At the end there to we had a pretty good lead, and so [Deer Lakes] is going to be a little bit passive on offense, that’s to our benefit because of the clock. We’ll continue to mix it up.”

Mixing it up is something Cangilla wants his players to get used to. Having both a man-to-man and zone defensive mindset is pivotal in the sport of basketball. Something he practices every day with his players. 

“We work on a lot of different defenses and were confident in every single defense we play,” Guinn said. “Whether it's man, 2-3, 1-3-1, you know, full court, I think we can hang with any team, with any defense.” 

That mentality is going to go a long way if the Talbots want a chance at a 22^nd consecutive playoff berth. Not to mention, if the 5A Class is going to be as competitive as it was last year, stacking up wins like this is going to be key. And the team wants to be put on notice by the rest of the league. Especially with their shooting. 

“No one has really talked about us,” Cupps said. “Gavin and I know we can both shoot it over 50%. Like last season, we were both shooting 50% for a decent amount, we both ended over 40% so I think him and I are going to keep scoring, and whenever we’re off, we have other guys on the court we know can score and get it done too.” 

Guinn went on to say they felt “disrespected” and that they hope to “open some eyes” this season.  

They accomplished their goal. Win. As Gavin Guinn mentioned, “That’s all that matters.” 

1^st game complete. Onto game #2. 

Three games in three days are not easy. Especially your first three games in December. That’s the type of stuff that is reserved for March. But Cangilla will have his team ready. 

“It's adversity, right?” Cangilla said. “We're talking about high school kids. You can do it. Be mindful of it. Take care of your bodies, try to get some sleep. But it's fun, they always want to play games. It’ll be tough, North Hills is good. But we’ll be alright.”

Playing is fun. Right? 

Good stuff…

Basketball Game Notes vs Deer Lakes.pdf

• Correction: Deer Lakes was 2-0 as of December 4th, 2025. The Game Notes have them listed as 0-0 which is inncorrect.