The Lakewood Rangers boys’ basketball team kicked off the 2024-2025 season with their home opener against the St. Edward High School Eagles. The stands were packed with fans for both the Rangers and the Eagles, as all were eager to see the outcome. Although the Rangers put up a good fight, unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to beat the Eagles, with a final score of 59-47.
Crowds of loyal Rangers fans showed up with high hopes for the team. However, when the game began, those hopes started to diminish. The Eagles brought a strong offense and an even stronger defense. The Rangers fought hard on the court but struggled to make enough of their shots. “If you look at the first half of that game, yeah, we shot the ball very poorly,” Athletic Director Rob Slone said. By the end of the second half, the Rangers were down 34-15 and things were not looking good for the home team.
Undeterred by the slow start, the Rangers showed up stronger after halftime and made a remarkable comeback, cutting the Eagles lead to just 6 going in to the fourth quarter. “I don’t think we’ve ever come close to going into a fourth quarter down by six. I mean, we almost pulled it out if we had made some shots, but we didn’t,” senior varsity starter Luke Bonvissuto said. Even though the outcome wasn’t what they wanted, they came very close. “I think this is probably the best we’ve played them,” Bonvissuto said.
The rivalry between the Rangers and the Eagles in basketball has been going on for decades. “When I coached here from 2000 to 2005 we played them every year. It’s been going on probably the last forty years,” Slone says. The feud between the teams has always been aggressive.
Since both high schools are located in Lakewood, the build up to the game and the atmosphere in the gym is intense. However, the Rangers play against the Eagles only once a season, as they are not regular-season opponents. This makes the game a significant event for both teams each year, and this time was certainly a step in the right direction for the Rangers, given how close they came to winning against the Eagles compared to past years. “I think we’re improving, but it sucks this is our last time playing them as seniors,” Bonvissuto said.
The Rangers have performed exceptionally well in basketball over the past few years. “I think we play very hard. We share the ball very well. We have a couple of kids who can really shoot it, so when they’re on, we can beat anybody,” Slone said. Last season the team reached the third round of the OHSAA playoffs.
Despite the loss, the Rangers are optimistic about the 2024-2025 season. “We hope to be able to play more people, push the pace, and create some turnovers with defensive pressure moving forward,” Head Boys’ Basketball Coach Alexander Cammock says. Everyone supporting the team has confidence in them this time around. “I think they’re going to have a really good year,” Slone says. “We have a bunch of kids on the team who have not seen varsity experience. Once they start gelling with the varsity kids we had from last year, I think they’re going to click.”
This season, the varsity team includes eight seniors, many of whom have played together since childhood, strengthening their bonds. “We’ve all played together for a long time, so it’s nice that we have that chemistry,” Bonvissuto says. This year’s Senior Night promises to be special, featuring a much larger group of seniors compared to previous years. Their dedication to basketball serves as an inspiration for those who will follow. “Since there are so many of them, it shows they’ve been super committed, which demonstrates to the younger guys that they need to be committed as well,” Cammock says.
The Rangers boys’ basketball team has been investing significant time and effort since September. Their goals and ambitions will carry them throughout the regular season and, hopefully, lead to a victory in the CWC conference in March 2025. Their work ethic and dedication are impossible to overlook.
