Boys Basketball off to Hot Start after last Season's Struggles

After a disappointing 5-19 record to finish last season's go around, the boys basketball team knew there would have to be changes made to gain advantages before the following season arrived. 

The Raiders took it upon themselves to improve their game to ensure more success and less heartbreak. “During the off season I go to the gym four times a week with basketball training everyday,” Senior Point Guard William Llanza said. 

Llanza, last year's All-Conference Honorable Mention, is not the only one who prioritizes off season work. Senior Captain and 2nd team all conference guard Jordan Small agrees. “I make sure to always get my shots up when I can during the off season,” he said. 

While working on your game and physical attributes is always important, it is just as important to strengthen your relationships with teammates and coaches. Mixing the two together is never a bad idea either. “In the off season I often train with teammates such as Noah Reilly and William Llanza,” 6”7 senior Forward Ryan Ibrahim said.

Not only does working with teammates help to learn each other's games and play styles, it also builds chemistry which is often seen as the most important part on a winning team. “This year, our team has built more chemistry and passion, we all share the same goal of winning and succeeding together,” Ibrahim said.

Another advantage the boys have opposed to last year is experience. The Raiders have upgraded from three seniors last year to eight this year, all with past varsity playing time. Having that many seniors works for great leadership examples and usually leads to younger guys playing harder for them. 

Fortunately, the Raiders already seem prepared with their young guys for the future as they have two sophomores already in the starting lineup: Forward Tim Gordon and Center Sean Fealy. 

Even with all of these positive factors, Nutley still found themselves struggling in Bloomfield’s annual summer league, winning few games and losing big to Montclair in the elimination rounds. These losses made it seem as if the same old Raiders were back for another season. 

However, perhaps those performances lit a spark in the boys as they found themselves riding high on a perfect 5-0 record to start the year, which already matched last season's win total. The Raiders have already beaten foes they lost to last year, such as Eagle Academy, West Caldwell Tech and Kearny, proving that maybe the hard work over the off-season has paid off after all. 

The Raiders don’t plan on stopping here as they have their eyes set on bigger plans than just the regular season, “The goal is the playoffs and I think we have the team to get there,” Small Said. The boys could not keep their perfect record alive in 2025 as they fell to Glen Ridge on the January 3. However, they then took their next three games, defeating Belleville, Weequahic, and Bard, bringing their record to 8-1.

It is safe to say that the Raiders have earned a different scouting report compared to last year and they are certainly a team every opponent might want to have marked on their calendar.