Hoops For Hunger Highlights

By: D'Arcy Murphy

The rim was rocking and so was the gym on Wednesday when Holy Trinity took on the Loyola Hawks in basketball action in the HT gym. The game, which tipped off at 1pm, was part of a special event called “Hoops for Hunger”. Students who attended the game brought in a non-perishable food item or $1 donation. The Titans didn’t disappoint their fans, coming out on top in a rematch of the senior girls’ Halton championship game played earlier this fall.

An exciting start to the game took HT to the quarter pole with an 11-6 lead. An even more impressive quarter from the boys made the score 27-10. Highlights from the first half included a three-pointer off glass from Entinosa Eguavoen and a pair of one-handed slams from super senior Lucas Orlita. The veteran’s fast-break points really got the crowd into the game before halftime.

Joining the Holy Trinity students in the crowd were some young students from St. Andrew elementary school. The students had a great time visiting their future school and got a taste of the impressive Titan spirit that has been spreading this year.

In the third quarter, the Titans went on an 18-7 run and blew the doors open on a game that they were expected to win from the outset. Grade 10 student Ignas Brazdeikis, who is a dominant performer on the senior team, dropped nine of his 13 points in that third frame. The fourth quarter closed out the game and the Titans took a 64-35 victory.

Post-game, I caught up with point guard Elijah Lostracco, who had four points in each of the final three quarters. He spoke about the importance of fan support helping the guys play to the best of their abilities; “It’s really nice. We saw the football guys get a lot of support, so this time, for basketball, it felt good. It really got our team energized.”

The Hoops for Hunger match-up followed a 78-34 victory earlier in the week over Georgetown. The boys finished the week with another win, this time over Blakelock by a score of 61-46 on Thursday. Coach Stonkus reflected on the team’s play at the end of the busy week; “I was very pleased. The boys drew a lot of energy from the crowd [on Wednesday] and it really helped them and [kept] them motivated.” He added that the boys’ dedication comes from within and that “these guys are dedicated basketball players.”

The boys have a tough schedule following the Christmas break. The team’s depth and determination are what will carry them through. The balanced lineup makes HT dangerous at any time during the game, and “everyone can play and everyone can contribute”, said Stonkus. This team mentality will be crucial in January. Coach Stonkus concluded by addressing the tough stretch of games after the break against powerhouses from Nelson, Bishop Reding, and Corpus Christi; “After the break there will be a lot of challenges. I think we’re going to go into the break very positive… united as a family.”


Fans can look ahead to more information on the Titans’ upcoming games on the weekly sports round-ups.