Through all the drama and turmoil the Bishop Noll Warriors boys basketball team had to deal with through last year, the Warriors were ready to start off the 2013-2014 basketball season strong and on the right foot. The Warriors graduated one senior, and lost two players as they transferred to different schools from the previous team last year. The leaders in scoring and rebounding, Tyreon Gates and Larry Crisler both returned to finish off their high school basketball career and hope to make a deep postseason run. The Warriors, after playing their first four games of the season, played everything possible–good, bad, and ugly basketball. With a record of 4-0, they are ranked second in the region.
The Warriors had a very rough start to their schedule, by facing some pretty talented teams: a conference team, two crosstown rival teams, and a top ranked team in the region for their first four games. After defeating Morton by only four points for their first game of the season, head coach Josh Belluomini clocked in his first win as coach of Bishop Noll. However, he would extend this streak past Calumet, Merrillville and Hammond High.
When they faced off against the No. 5 ranked Merrillville Pirates on Dec. 13 at Bishop Noll, the game would determine if Bishop Noll was seen by the region as an overrated team or the real deal and a team to reckon with. The Warrior Dome in Hammond was packed for the game, and a renewed superfan section showed up to support the basketball team in this big game. The game of the night went back and forth until the fourth quarter when seniors Larry Crisler, Tyreon Gates, and Marquis Tarver went on on a scoring rampage early in the quarter to set the tone for the rest of the game. The Warriors ended the game on an and-one layup by senior Mike Jakubielski coming from a pass by Larry Crisler, topping with a final score of 52-44 and moving up a rank to No. 2.
This is the exact start Belluomini wanted and is looking to continue their winning streak as they go against North Newton on Tuesday, Dec. 17, at North Newton High School. The Warriors are looking to accomplish their many goals by winning the conference tournament and having the best record in the conference in the regular season, defeat the top teams on their schedule, win their sectional and make a deep postseason run at the end of the year by making a return to state, which hasn’t happened since 2010.