The boys’ basketball team placed second in the FCIACs after a 69-53 loss to Danbury in the championship game. The last time the Staples boys’ basketball team was the FCIAC champion was in the 1962-63 season, back before there was a tournament and the team with the best record was the automatic winner. 

Captains Chris Zajac ’23 – who scored 14 points – and Cody Sale ’23 – who scored 13 points – both made All FCIAC teams, with Zajac being placed on the first team and Sale on the third. 

“Obviously we didn’t win […] but it’s still a nice honor to receive,” Zajac said. “To be honored by the FCIAC really means a lot to me.”

After ending the first quarter with a 4 point lead, Staples trailed 21-14 by halftime, failing to gain any points in the second quarter. By the end of the third quarter, Danbury led 41-36 as Staples struggled to maintain their offense. The Hatters buckled down on their defense, ultimately allowing them to pull ahead even further in the fourth quarter. 

“In the first and second quarters there were definitely some nerves, some butterflies, some jitters, honestly from the coaching staff and the team, and that’s very normal,” Captain Charlie Honig ’23 said. “Not a single player on our team had played in that big of a crowd ever in their sports career, so of course there’s gonna be some nerves there. In the second quarter, […] we just couldn’t put the ball in the basket. I give credit to Danbury, though, they had an amazing defensive game plan [guarding Zajac].”

In the regular season, No 4. Staples lost to No 3. Danbury by 11 points, ruining the Wreckers’ perfect record. Honig and the team were eager for a rematch in the FCIAC championship game.

“Honestly, we were happy to play them again after playing them in the regular season because we just wanted revenge,” Honig said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t reach that goal […] but it was good for us because that Danbury game in the regular season really hurt us. We were undefeated at the time, so Danbury was on our minds the whole year because we wanted another shot.”

Regardless of their FCIAC loss, the team reflects upon this season proudly after a 15-5 record in the regular season. Although the Wreckers will not change their technical approach on the court, the boys will continue to improve each day and improve their offensive and defensive skills.

“The approach is just getting 1% better every single day, and even though we lost the Danbury game, we got better because we learned a little bit more about what we need to do in order to be successful,” head coach David Goldshore said. “And now we take that with us to every practice, and tonight, and tomorrow, and hopefully into [the rest of the States tournament].”