The Deerfield JV Boys Basketball team delivered a hard-fought 46-38 victory on the road at Suffield Academy, powered by strong teamwork, sharp ball movement, and contributions across the roster.
Deerfield started strong, with Will Machnik ’26 scoring the first bucket and adding a fast-break layup to take an early lead. Marty Rodriguez Pastor ’28 followed his own shot for a putback and, moments later, stole the ball to spark the defense. Rodriguez Pastor then found Hawk Okpokwasili ’25 for two buckets, including a smooth elbow jumper to make the score 11-4. Carter Schloat ’28 connected with Tucker Gongaware ’26 for a layup (15-4) before Rodriguez Pastor’s steal and Okpokwasili’s relentless rebounding led to an electrifying “and-one” finish for Rodriguez Pastor.
Deerfield’s ball movement continued to shine. Gongaware grabbed a huge offensive rebound, setting up Machnik for a three-pointer to push the lead to ten points), followed by Will’s strong take in transition to make it 22-10. Sam Peake ’28 delivered a highlight-reel block on a Suffield fast break, and Schloat answered with a block of his own. As time expired in the first half, Michael Hioe ’27 grabbed an offensive rebound and nailed a buzzer-beater putback, sending Deerfield into halftime with a 24-12 lead.
Suffield fought back in the second half, closing the gap to just five points on multiple occasions. Hioe deflected and intercepted an inbounds pass and found Machnik for a layup. The duo later connected again as Machnik buried a three-pointer off Hioe’s assist, and Rodriguez Pastor added another smooth layup to make it 33-21.
With Suffield surging to close the gap at 35-30, Hawk delivered a long bounce pass to Sam Peake for a contested layup with just 5:40 left in the contest. Moments later, Mac Hynds ’26 pulled off his signature move—a shot fake that sent the defender flying—before finishing a baseline drive to push the lead to 39-30. A Will Machnik right-handed drive, a strong finish in the paint by Hawk, and two clutch free throws by Marty helped the Doors control the final moments to secure the 46-38 victory.
Defensively, JJ Kicza ’28 and Jay Rich ’27 played strong post defense and fought on the boards, while Nosa Idehen ’27 and Peter Lakey ’28 provided key minutes on the wing. Hioe and Rodriguez Pastor sparked turnovers with deflections and steals, keeping Suffield on their heels.
Standout Performances:
- Will Machnik ’26: 18 points, including two three-pointers
- Marty Rodriguez Pastor ’28: 14 points, key defensive effort and clutch free throws
- Hawk Okpokwasili ’25: 5 points, crucial assists and rebounding
- Sam Peake ’28: 3 points, standout defensive block
- Michael Hioe ’27: 2 points, buzzer-beater, key assists
- Tucker Gongaware ’26: 2 points, huge rebounds
- Carter Schloat ’28: Strong blocks and playmaking
The team celebrated the win with pizza, courtesy of Coach Bicknell, on a snowy ride home in the Green Machine. The victory was a testament to the group’s depth, hustle, and ability to rise to the challenge as a team. The team goes into the winter holiday with a 2-1 record.