Mid-season for Mt. Hope High hoopsters approaches

The Mt. Hope High School boys’ basketball team is well into its Division III league schedule with results being a complete mixed bag.

After starting the season off 3-1, the Huskies have since lost back-to-back games, including a setback to Tiverton on Jan. 12, but head coach Jerry Darius is not disappointed.

“Not at all, not at all. There is nothing to be disappointed about,” he said. “Of course, you want to win games, but it is about learning and what the team is doing. Our guys are playing well, but we have to improve, from the coaching to players.”
After just seven games, Coach Darius has learned a lot about his team what they have to improve upon.

“We have great potential on this team,” he said. “We are still very young and have to improve in a lot of areas, but we have amazing potential.”

Leading the way for the Huskies is senior forward Marquis Jones Murchison, who is averaging more than 14 points per game.

“He is playing stelar and is leading us in a lot of statical categories,” Coach Darius said. “He is the leader of the team, but as I said there isn’t one guy who doesn’t have improving to do. We are dong it together and sharing the ball. All of our guys standout to me in different ways and at different times.”

With just seven games in the book and eleven remaining, Mt. Hope looks to improve in all areas to improve the final results in the remainder of the schedule.

“We have to get better at sharing the ball and attacking the basket, I think we can get a lot better,” Coach Darius said. “Overall, we have to do what we have to do to get better. There is not one area that we can’t improve in. Once we start to improve we will win more games.”

Lady Huskies impress
The Mt. Hope High School girls’ team is off to a bit of a surprisingly good start to their Division III league season, doing so with a very young roster.

The Huskies do not have a single senior on their roster leaving them with one of the youngest teams in the league, but that hasn’t stopped them from going 4-2 in league play so far, including a loss to Tiverton on Jan. 12.

“I am really impressed with my team,” head coach Victor Kashouh said. “They come to play every game and they focus on the defensive end, which is what we have been teaching on a lot. They are really playing well and they have passed my incoming expectations.”

One of the things that has stood out to Coach Kashouh is the fight the team has, which showed even in a recent lopsided loss.

“They don’t ever quit and I love that because it is a testament to how hard they work,” he said. “They fight to the end and I love my girls for that.”
Leading the Huskies is junior guard Jenna Cimbron, who is leading the state in one impressive category.

“She is our everything and we go as she goes,” Coach Kashouh said. “She leads the state in free throws made right now and she works really hard. She really gets her teammates going.”

Mt. Hope is also led by two sophomores with Thea Brum at the point and Sara Godfrey inside.

“Sara is really playing outstanding,” Coach Kashouh said. “She has had a 20-rebound game and a few double-doubles, which has exceeded my expectations by a mile. She is all over the floor and is only a sophomore.”

While the Huskies are focused on this year, this season is all part of a longer plan that Coach Kashouh wants to execute.

“Not a single senior on the roster so me and my assistant coach Henry (Cabral) have talked about a two-year plan,” he said. “This year we are going to try and do our best and next year we will bring everyone back and hopefully be better.”