Long Reach boys basketball sophomore Josh Hurd saw plenty of space in front of him. Hurd initially was going to go up for a layup, anticipating a trailing Howard defender.
However, that chasing Lions defender never came as Hurd elevated and stuffed a two-handed emphatic dunk late in the first quarter. That jam sent the energetic Lightning student section into a frenzy and epitomized the havoc Long Reach’s defense caused early and often.
The Lightning scored the game’s first 10 points and didn’t look back, posting a 61-45 win, their third straight victory to get back to .500 on the season.
“I got so much adrenaline. So, as soon I was going up, I wanted to tear the rim off,” Hurd said.
The Lightning (3-3, 2-1 Sierra Division) have experienced guards who are integral parts of their perimeter pressure. Facing an inexperienced Howard team with young guards, the Lightning knew intense ball pressure was a focal point. They immediately smothered the Lions’ guards, prompting a Howard timeout less than a minute into the game.
Senior Reece Thimote is the heartbeat of that tenacity in his first season playing for the Lightning. Thimote has prior basketball experience playing AAU but was either injured or ran indoor track during prior winters. He left his imprint all over the game, drawing several charges and forcing turnovers that led to easy points.
The senior was the beneficiary of his team’s tremendous defensive effort, scoring 11 of the Lightning’s 23 points in the opening quarter. The Lightning’s football quarterback, Thimote possesses elite athleticism and anticipation, two pillars that have quickly translated from the gridiron to the hardwood.
“Reece always knows what to do,” Long Reach coach Andrew Lazzor said. “We’re not where we’re at right now, coming back from 0-3 to 3-3 without what he does defensively. He’s still feeling himself as a basketball player. The defense is the hard-working part, that’s easier for him than the skill of basketball because he hasn’t played.
“He played every minute on Friday night and then he went and played in the BTC All-Star game on Saturday and now he’s back here Monday playing every minute. The dude is a dog, and he just doesn’t quit. You love kids like that.”
After some early disorganization offensively, Howard found its footing early in the second. The Lions (2-4, 0-3 Sierra) went on an 8-2 run in the opening four minutes, trimming the deficit to six. However, their momentum was shortly lived as Long Reach mounted an answer. The Lightning closed the first half on a 12-4 spurt, regaining a double-digit advantage at the break.
Hurd powered that late first-half surge, using his foot 6-foot-5 frame to create opportunities in the paint. He played substantial minutes last season and showed flashes of being a dominant player, but at times had a tendency to settle.
However, more comfortable and confident in his second varsity season, Hurd is more assertive and attacking mismatches. The sophomore knew he’d have a larger role offensively this season and is leaning into that added responsibility.
“He just goes after everything,” Lazzor said of Hurd. “He doesn’t quit. He’s the hardest working kid in practice, him and Reece. He’s becoming more assertive. Once the game and our style it slows down for him, he’ll make even better reads. He’s doing a really good job of finding the right move at the right time. I’m looking forward to seeing how well he develops.”
With the capacity student section still buzzing, the Lightning fed off that energy in the third. They extended the advantage to over 20 at one point, limiting the Lions to 10 third-quarter points. Once again, defense spurred that surge with offensive contributions from several players.
Defense has keyed the Lightning’s three-game winning streak and will be a point of emphasis moving forward, with the tone set in the backcourt. Now back to .500, Long Reach can recalibrate ahead of its Christmas tournament and the heart of the county season that’s soon to follow.
“It’s going to be huge because we really want to be a press team and be able to get easy baskets out of transition, not have to play in the halfcourt,” Thimote said. “I think if we keep pressuring teams and keeping the skills, it’s going to help us a lot on the offensive end too. I love playing defense. Defense gets the crowd going, too. So, I feel like if we keep playing defense, it gets the game going and gets us going.”
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