We're on vacation. In two and a half weeks, everyone will be back and we'll throw ourselves into a week of intense, focused, small group activities. While no one debates the value of Project Period, it creates stress within the calendar. Wednesday afternoon, we could have used the explosive support of a few hundred basketball fans, as the boys' varsity fell five short to the talented Rams of Tilton School in the NEPSAC Class B quarterfinals. Played at Proctor, this was like a home game for Tilton, which arrived with hundreds of appropriately rowdy supporters.

For additional insight into boys' varsity basketball (from Dec. '03) visit Principles and Leaders. Coach Gregor Makechnie (Class of '90) with words of support for junior Scott Robator:

Gregor comments: "It was a well played game. Tilton's defensive strategy was to prohibit Jerome Dyson from scoring. They played a "junk" defense (box and 1), which means that they had one man play him man to man, while the other four players were in a zone configuration. Any time we set a screen for Jerome, they "switched the screen" meaning a new man became responsible for defending him. A box and one can be beaten easily if a team can rely on post players to score near the basket. We are a team of guards, though, and don't have a presence in the post.....Midway through the second half, we were able to force a number of turnovers, which allowed us to take the lead." Below, Anthony Fortes pumps up the bench during Tilton's time-out:

Gregor continues: "I am very proud of this team. It was comprised of dedicated young men who sacrificed for one another throughout the season. After the game yesterday, there were a lot of tears and hugs in the locker room. Not so much because we lost, as disappointing as that was, but because the loss represented the last time the group will play together."

And this insight: "They provided terrific leadership -- although perhaps not in the traditional sense. On most teams, minutes logged during games are dominated by seniors. On our team, only two seniors, Ulises Veras and Adrian Polite played significant minutes during games. However, Victor Gomez, Myles McLeod, Dane Phillip and Mike Myers set a tremendous tone in practice and were responsible for the cameraderie we enjoyed."