Altimira 8th boys NVL hoops champs

Long title drought ends, Wolves' lone loss to 3rd-place Adele|

It’s been a longtime coming, but the wait is over for the Altimira Middle School’s eighth-grade boys’ basketball team, which broke a 13-year title drought by recently claiming the 2014-15 North Valley League crown.

Starting their season on an upbeat note, the Wolves kept winning to stay ahead of both Technology and cross-Valley rival Adele Harrison in what became a three-way battle for the NVL eighth-grade championship.

When the Altimira boys captured their 11 straight victory, they clinched the crowning achievement of their first NVL title since 2001.

In last week’s 12th and final game, the NVL-champion Wolves traveled across the Valley and turned in another hard-playing effort in an attempt to finish unbeaten, but were denied the perfect season by Adele, which posted a 44-35 win.

Altimira finished their title run with an 11-1 record, which included two wins over second-place Technology (10-2 mark), while splitting its pair with third-place Adele (9-3).

The NVL-champion Altimira eighth-grade boys’ hoops team, directed by head coach Gus Halter and assistant coach Luke Domingue, consisted of Reanne Ball, Ryan Ball, Jackson Barbagelata, Brian Boldt, Justin Cox, James Greenslade, Ezekiel Hermosillo, Gavin Koler, Carlos Mata, Matt Norrbom, Nicolas Spanger and George Stewart.

Comprising the Adele eighth-grade boys’ hoops squad, coached by Casey Moll, were Justin Alire, Austin Berger, Jack Boydell, Brendan Hogan, Guillermo Hurtado, Gregory Kenton, Logan Mak, Joseph “Pepe” Maranec, Will Natuzzi, Nima Sherpa, Angel Tapia, Andres Torres and Tuck Williams.

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