With a cast of new faces taking the court for Rye this year, Garnets’ basketball coach John Aguilar knew that there might be an adjustment period this winter as his team acclimated itself to competition at the varsity level. But with the playoffs approaching, it looks as though the Garnets might be hitting their stride at the right time. On Friday, Jan. 21, Rye picked up an impressive league win over rival Harrison, topping the Huskies 58-43 on the road to snap a two-game losing streak and climb above the .500 mark.

The Garnets wasted little time seizing control on Friday night, jumping out to a 27-17 halftime lead over their hosts, something that Aguilar said was a focal point heading into the game. According to the head coach, slow starts had hurt Rye in recent contests, notably in the team’s Jan. 18 loss to a solid Pelham squad. 

“I thought the energy was different today, I think the group we had out there brought the energy and had a sense of urgency on both ends,” said Aguilar. “We’ve shown that at some points this year, but not always from the tip.”

In addition to being pleased with Rye’s tempo on Friday, Aguilar also cited the team’s unselfish play as one of the reasons behind a strong showing. Charlie Howard led Rye with 11 points on a night that saw 11 different players record points. Rye’s depth has been something of a blessing and a curse for the Garnets in the early-goings of the season, but Aguilar believes that he’s beginning to get a clearer picture of which lineups give the team a greater chance of success. 

“We said from the beginning of the season, with 14 guys, seven of whom are brand new to the team, it was going to take us a little while to figure things out,” said Aguilar. “We think, as a coaching staff, that we’ve found a mix that’s going to work and sustain on the court. We’d like a little more consistency in the rotation and that’s what we’re going to try to work on moving forward.” 

Although the Garnets were unable to capitalize on the momentum of Friday night’s win, falling to Hendrick Hudson the following day, Aguilar is hoping to see more growth from the team over the next couple of weeks. The Garnets will be tested in that time period, with non-league matchups against tough teams like North Rockland and a slew of divisional meetings with teams including Byram Hills, Pelham and Eastchester on the docket. 

Earlier this season, the Garnets scored a win over the Bobcats while falling to both the Pelicans and Eagles.

“We know with Byram that we might as well just start the game with four minutes left because it seems that regardless of who has the lead the first three quarters, our kids and their kids always have this battle, this intensity,” said Aguilar. “But we’re going to have to make adjustments when it comes to Pelham, and with Eastchester, they’ve got a little more size and length, so we’re going to have to find a way to offset that.”

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