By Lyndon Taylor
The Midwood High School Hornets delivered a statement victory in the Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL) Boys Varsity Basketball competition, defeating the Paul Robeson Eagles 58-48 in a hard-fought battle at the Paul Robeson Gym.

Led by longtime Head Coach Victor Gjecaj, Midwood controlled the game from the opening tip, aside from a brief stretch in the second quarter when Robeson tied the score at 19. However, the Hornets’ relentless defense held the Eagles scoreless for the remainder of the half, giving Midwood a crucial 26-19 lead at the break.

Robeson came out strong in the third quarter, with standout guard Shane Gordon (#2) draining a quick three-pointer to cut into the deficit. But Midwood’s aggressive 2-1-2 full-court press proved too much for the home team, forcing turnovers that the Hornets capitalized on.

By the end of the third quarter, Midwood had extended their lead to 40-36, setting up a dominant fourth quarter in which they closed out the game with a double-digit victory.

For Midwood, #11 Samhir Bakaed led the charge with 17 points, while #12 Darren Nhu added 16 to fuel the Hornets’ offense. Despite the loss, Robeson’s Shane Gordon turned in a stellar performance, leading all scorers with 20 points, while teammate Taurus Jones contributed 12.
Coach Gjecaj, who has been at the helm of Midwood’s program for 29 years, was pleased with his team’s resilience and believes this win could be a springboard for a deep playoff run.

“We came out sluggish, but they picked up the tempo at the end of the first half. We played with a greater sense of urgency in the second half and closed out the game strong,” Gjecaj said in a post-game interview with Our Time Press.

With this victory, Midwood strengthens its standing in the PSAL playoff race, while Paul Robeson will look to bounce back in their next matchup.