The dark horse Randolph Boys Varsity Basketball beat Roxbury soundly at home, 68-42, on Saturday, Jan. 8.

Neither team had experienced an ideal start to this season, and both were looking to create momentum, so it was a welcomed win for the Rams as well as for all the fans who came out to watch the game for fan appreciation night.

In the first quarter, the Rams came out scorching hot, netting three of four 3-pointers, thanks to juniors Ryan Kress and Rocco Albano and senior Joey Tomaino. The Rams were also feeding the ball to senior Jake Jenisch in the paint, getting a quick 6 points from him in the first. In addition, the Rams defense shut down the Gaels, holding them to 7 points in the first. At the end of the first, the Rams were up 19-7.

“Our mindset was to keep moving the ball and looking for our open shots,” co-captain Albano said. “For our defensive end, our goal was to communicate and out hustle them.”

The Gaels offensive turned up the heat in the second quarter with Roxbury having a minute-long possession due to the aggressive offensive rebounds the Gaels were getting.

However, once the Rams got the ball, they did what they do best: score. Junior Jake Miller started off with an easy 2-pointer with an assist by senior Sean Clark. The Rams got into some foul trouble with Albano and Tomaino, giving Roxbury a chance to score and mount a small comeback. Kress and Clark both hit threes late into the second quarter, earning the Rams a comfortable lead of 40-22 going into halftime.

“Joey and I were both out, going into the second, but we had trust in our team to keep that lead,” Albano said. “Coming in from half could be a big momentum swing for either team, and our guys did a great job to stay strong and keep up the intensity.”

Kress started the quarter with another 3-pointer, showing how dangerous these Rams are behind the arch. Clark led the defense by making some aggressive stops in the paint leading to fast breaks. The Rams had some of their best ball movement and shot creation coming from this quarter, with Vincent LoVerde and Ryan Kress moving the ball efficiently and finding the open shots. The quarter ended with a highlight play from Jenisch, with a 1-pointer in the last seconds, stretching out their lead to 56-31.

With the Rams enjoying a big lead heading into the fourth, they decided to mix things up a bit. They honored seniors James Kratochvil, Chris Petit Frere and Mike Nowlin by letting them lead the fourth quarter. Sophomore AJ Terry and junior Andrew Taurman were also able to get some valuable experience, helping to secure their futures in Randolph basketball. The Rams were able to space the court, allowing them to drive and kick out, looking for 3-point shots. With a minute left, Nowlin ended the game with a 3-pointer, 68-42.

“We just have to take the same intensity and heart that we had in this game and bring it into each and every game coming forward,” Albano said.

Following a subsequent loss to Morristown, 61-54, at home on Wed. Jan 10, the Rams record stood at 2-9.

The Rams are scheduled to play next at Sparta on Thursday, Jan. 12, at 7 p.m.