Masters Turns Up the Pressure in Victory Over Brunswick

The pressure was unrelenting from the opening whistle. Purple jerseys swarmed the basketball like bees around a hive, creating a chaotic environment that Masters' varsity boys' basketball squad thrived in.

And the end result — a 70-57 victory over the visiting Brunswick School on Tuesday, December 11 — left the Panthers buzzing.
 
"We talked about coming out fast and applying aggressive defensive pressure in the first four minutes," said head coach Matt Kammrath.
 
Masters created a slew of turnovers inside the first five-plus minutes of action. The Panthers pushed the pace in transition and got to the free-throw line, grabbing a commanding 17-4 lead they would never relinquish. Brunswick — wrangled by early foul trouble — was unable to stem the tide. 
 
"The team executed perfectly," Kammrath said.
 
The Panthers led 41-25 at the half and kept the Bruins at bay down the stretch.
 
Isaiah Thompson ’21 paced Masters with a game-high 30 points. He seemingly got to the rim at will, using a quick first step and a combination of strength and body control in the paint.
 
“Thompson is a tough guard because he can get to the rim but also hit the outside shot," Kammrath said. "Teams can’t press him, but they also can’t sag. He’s been big for us early in the season.”
 
Veterans Rashid Woods ’19 and Ugochukwu Kachikwu ’19 added 18 and 14 points, respectively. Kachikwu was a consistent inside presence on both ends of the court.
 
“Kach is important to get going for our squad," Kammrath said. "And when Woods and Thompson are able to penetrate, the other guys are getting open looks. This allows for balance on the floor and good sharing of the ball. In the end, it still all comes down to defensive stops for us to be successful."
 
Tuesday marked the first Fairchester Athletic Association victory of the season for Masters, which is now 1-1 in league play and 2-2 overall.
 
“It’s always important to defend your home court in the FAA," Kammrath said. "Brunswick always has athletic teams that play hard, so to get a win against them early in the season will be big for us down the stretch.”
 
The Panthers will travel to compete at the Mercer Invitational Tournament at The Hill School in Pennsylvania this weekend.

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