In a highly anticipated cross-town contest, Deerfield JV Boys Basketball secured a strong win over Frontier Regional, fueled by high-energy defense and season-high scoring performances from Will Machnik ’26 and Marty Rodriguez Pastor ’28. Many players on both teams had grown up playing together, adding to the intensity of the matchup.

Deerfield set the tone early, with Rodriguez Pastor using an inside-out move to open the scoring. Machnik followed with back-to-back three-pointers and a layup, pushing the lead to 10-4. Rodriguez Pastor continued to attack in transition, scoring multiple fast-break layups, while Carter Schloat ’28 fought inside for a putback lay-in to extend the lead to 23-14. Moments later, Schloat delivered a beautiful assist to Jay Rich ’27 for an uncontested layup, and Peter Lakey ’28 hit a smooth turning baseline shot to make it 35-23. Despite Deerfield’s hot start, Frontier battled to keep it close heading into halftime.

In the second half, Deerfield locked in defensively, sparking more scoring opportunities. Teddy Hamadeh ’26 was a force in the paint, recording five blocks that led to transition baskets for Rodriguez Pastor. Machnik showed off his court vision with a full-court dime to MacGregor Hynds ’26 for a layup, extending the lead to 54-31. Michael Hioe ’27 added a highlight play, driving baseline and scoring three the old-fashioned way. JJ Kicza ’28 contributed key buckets, including a strong offensive rebound and putback, while also making an impact defensively with a block. The final score was 66-40

Deerfield earned a well-fought win against a well-coached and skilled Frontier team, with Machnik (18 points, 7 assists) and Rodriguez Pastor (20 points) both posting season-high totals. The Doors head into Long Winter Weekend with five tough road games remaining on the schedule, ready for the challenges ahead.

Standout Performances:

• Marty Rodriguez Pastor ’28: 20 points, dominant transition play

• Will Machnik ’26: 18 points, 7 assists, full-court passing brilliance

• JJ Kicza ’28: 8 points, strong inside play and defensive presence

• Jay Rich ’27: 6 points, great off-ball movement

• Michael Hioe ’27: 5 points, including a baseline and-one

• MacGregor Hynds ’26: 3 points, strong finishing in transition

• Teddy Hamadeh ’26: 2 points, 5 blocks, defensive anchor

• Peter Lakey ’28: 2 points, smooth baseline jumper

• Carter Schloat ’28: 2 points, key rebounds and an assist

With momentum from this win, Deerfield looks ahead to a challenging road stretch to close out the season.