In a game that saw multiple lead changes and a close finish, the GDS men’s varsity basketball team came out on top, defeating School Without Walls (SWW) 56–51 in a hard-fought battle on Tuesday, Dec. 3.
The game was very back-and-forth, but it was GDS’ dominant fourth-quarter performance that ultimately secured the win in their third game of the season.
The team was missing three of its starters: senior Tigin Unsal is injured, and senior Christian Santos Silva and junior Julian Lucas are out of school attending the Student Diversity Leadership Conference.
“We are very young this year and lack varsity experience, and we only had three varsity returners on the court today,” said head coach Marquis Bell. “I am very proud of the team, especially the young guys for going to battle and coming out victorious versus a very good [SWW] team.”
The action started early, with sophomore Rafriel Guthrie making a quick impact, stealing the ball and converting a fast-break layup to put GDS ahead. The teams exchanged baskets throughout the first quarter, with junior Kyle Britton providing a highlight on defense with a block. With the clock winding down, sophomore Jibril Nashid stepped up, hitting two foul shots to give GDS a 13–12 lead at the end of the period.
The second quarter saw GDS take an early lead, thanks to sophomore Arjun Bhargava’s shooting streak. Bhargava knocked down two three-pointers in quick succession, giving GDS a 16–12 advantage. He followed that up with another three-pointer to extend the lead to 19–15. But SWW responded, slowly chipping away at the deficit and eventually taking a 26–24 lead. Seconds before halftime, junior Khalin Patel tied the game with a layup, sending both teams into the break knotted up at 27–27.
In the second half, Bhargava continued his strong performance, knocking down another three-pointer early in the third quarter to give GDS a 31–25 lead. However, SWW answered with a series of baskets, reclaiming the lead at 40–35. Although Guthrie missed a free throw, he made up for it by draining a key three-pointer just before the end of the third, pulling GDS within a point at 40–39 as the teams headed into the final quarter.
The fourth quarter was a showcase of clutch performance. Guthrie stole the ball on an inbound pass and Bhargava made sure to capitalize, hitting another three-pointer to give GDS a 46–44 lead.
With the game hanging in the balance, Nashid came through, scoring a layup to push the lead to 49–47. That’s when freshman Miles Schall stepped up, draining a huge three-pointer to make it 52–47, putting GDS in control. Guthrie took advantage and drained another three to give GDS a commanding 55–47 lead.
As the clock wound down, Guthrie was fouled and calmly hit one of two free throws to seal the victory. With just seconds remaining, junior Charlie Brooks made a timely steal, ensuring there would be no late comeback from SWW.
Guthrie played a crucial role, scoring 17 points and delivering late in the fourth quarter when his team needed it most. “The game went well and we won feeling good. We competed, stayed together throughout the game, and the atmosphere was great,” he said. “It wasn’t just one person who made us win; every one contributed in their own way, which led to the victory.”
“We played outstanding team basketball, and everybody played and filled their role beautifully,” said Britton. “The ball was moving, allowing other players to get in rhythm and help us regain momentum, and we kept answering back to the School Without Walls offense.”
“Both teams came out swinging, but in the end there could only be one winner,” Bell said.
While the entire team contributed to the win, Bhargava was the standout performer with 20 points, including several big shots in key moments. “I hope we can keep this momentum going and win more games in the future,” he said after the game.
The team will next play at Ron Brown High School on Dec. 7.
Jonah Levy ’27 contributed reporting.