The Coral Gables Senior High boys basketball team was ready to finish their season strong with Senior Night. From late October to early February, the boys put in hours of consistent hard work with practices and games so that they were ready to dominate on the court on Friday, Feb. 4.

Unfortunately, the team faced the setback of losing their lead coach earlier this year along with some of their strongest players because they transferred to other schools. While the boys waited for someone to replace him, they took matters into their own hands. Captains Danny Gonzalez, Romulo Delgado and Marcus Antoine made sure to keep the team intact to practice through the off-season. Ensuring the team’s success for the following year, these seniors made sure to put in the time and effort even when there was no one to guide them.

“They’ve led the way, since the very beginning before I even got here, they are leading in all of our stat categories and all of the above. They are not just athletes, they play a bigger role within the school itself. This is the night to commemorate them for all their hard work over the years,” Coach Shoon said.

It has been a season full of ups and downs. Their first game against True North Academy was played in late November, and they played against them again on Feb. 4 for senior night. Opposing their competitor once again, the Cavaliers now had at least 15 games under their belt. Both teams had a streak of ten wins to eight losses prior to the game, making it even more crucial for the Cavaliers to take the lead.

The game began at 7:30 p.m., and, in a matter of seconds, the first point was made by Laurence Stampino-Strain. Between a mix of turnovers, rebounds, free throws and three-pointers, the final score at the end of the second quarter was thirty-eight to twenty-four. During half-time, the Gables cheerleaders performed for the crowd, showing off their talent with dances and tricks.

As the game continued, the Cavalier crowd made sure to yell passionately for their school. Bleachers filled with parents, students and alumni kept the players hyped throughout the game. The final quarter was a tense eight minutes for the crowd as the score got closer. Gables had a lead that went from 15 to six in a matter of seconds. Perseverance kept them in the game and Gables took the win with a final score of sixty-four to fifty-four.

“I feel super excited to play possibly my last home game here, I am a little emotional too, I have been playing here for four years and I have grown so many bonds and done so much for the team that it is kind of sad that this will be the last time I’ll be able to do this. Although, I am happy all my friends and family are going to be there,” senior Romulo Delgado said.

After the game, the celebration of the seniors began. The coaches provided them with a large poster for them to take pictures with; friends and family also made signs and brought flowers in support of the boys. Each senior was announced along with a brief speech made by the assistant coach for each player that described their work ethic and future aspirations.

Each player was gifted a frame with their photo and engraving on it from the coaches and walked down a “red carpet” with their family members. After plenty of smiles, photos and even some tears, the seniors were gathered to take a final picture together to commemorate their last year on the team. While doing so, Delgado was given a basketball signed by all of his team members to honor his 1,000 points this season.

Overall, it was a successful senior night to commemorate the graduating class of 2022 for all their hard work on and off the court. The next step for the Gables boys basketball team is to continue playing games in hopes of competing in districts and earning the title of district champions.