Blair basketball falters against Whitman on opening night

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Photo: Senior guard Elom Amenti attempts a jumpshot during Blair's opening season loss to the Whitman Vikings.

Senior guard Elom Amenti attempts a jumpshot during Blair's opening season loss to the Whitman Vikings. Photo courtesy of Zach Carter.

On Dec. 5, the Blair varsity basketball team opened their season with a hard-fought loss to the Whitman Vikings, falling 59-74. In a game characterized by its immense speed and raucous energy, the Blazers ultimately fell short of mounting a comeback in the fourth quarter. 

The game began with newfound intensity, as captain guard Bakarr Abu believes this is the season where Blair can reach the state finals. “This season, our goal is just to keep pushing, keep winning games, and fight our way to states,” he said. 

The first quarter started fairly even, with both sides trading baskets and senior guard Elom Amenti making some crucial defensive plays. However, Blair seemed to lack communication and looked hesitant in transition, ending the quarter down 7 points. 

The second quarter was played at a similarly intense pace, and the Blazers were momentarily able to recover and bring the Whitman lead down to 3 points. Consecutive long-range shots from senior guard Ansoumane Diallo and junior guard Paul Ransom played a key role in this recovery, but the Blazers still ended the half down 7 points. 

In the third quarter, the Vikings made a decisive move. Leading by as much as 15 points, Whitman capitalized on numerous Blair errors and was powered by their leading scorer, senior guard Bobby Zedak. 

The Blazers attempted to make a final push in the fourth quarter, but due to their lack of size, they were unable to control the paint and were forced to settle for heavily contested perimeter shots. As the time wound down, the Vikings finished with an exclamation point as their junior guard Max Williams converted consecutive 3-point plays. 

Diallo noted that the Blazers’ lack of control in the paint was what ultimately led to their downfall. “We have to stop taking quick shots, and we need to get in the paint, because they were beating us inside every single time,” he said. 

Looking forward to next week’s game against Poolesville, Abu said that the team is ready to bounce back. “Looking to next game, I think we just have to slow the game down a little and be the team to throw the first punch,” he said. 

The Blazers’ next game is away at Poolesville on Dec. 9 at 5:30 p.m. You can purchase tickets here.