Senior night was spoiled for the Rays, but they know the season is far from over. Even in a loss to The Village School of Naples, the Rays fought hard in a 54-48 game. It was Grayson Jones who led the way with 13 points for the Rays, while senior Shamus Coyle put up 11 points, followed by senior John Boxma who had 9 points. The Rays were without underclassmen Gage Rice, who has had a significant impact in the Rays backcourt. John Lewis was another key player missed, as he has heavily contributed all season on the court and off the court.

This was a close game, with constant lead changes in the final minutes. It seemed like every minute the momentum would shift from one side of the court to the other. For the Rays their luck ran out with 7 minutes in the 4th quarter, when Village got their first lead of the game and were able to combat every basket with one of their own. Coach Jim Watt gave credit to the Knights saying, “They just caught fire and we couldn’t stop them.” Coach Watt expects a strong bounce back from his team.

Senior Daniel Donaldson said, “You can’t win them all, that’s basketball. But we need to put our best foot forward and learn from this game as a team.” Every player has high hopes for their upcoming tournament in Vero Beach, they see it as a great opportunity to bond and grow stronger as a team, as well as playing new tough competition. The Rays begin their Vero beach campaign on January 27 and will play their games throughout the weekend.