Senior guard Caden Zeinner leads the SBAAC in scoring at 22.3 PPG. Photo by Luke Servello.
The Warriors hadn’t won a league title since 2017 coming into the 2023-2024 season. Photo by Luke Servello.
A magical season continued for the Goshen Warriors boys’ basketball team as they clinched at least a share of the SBAAC American Division with an 83-59 home win on Friday, Feb. 2 against Batavia. The win moves the Warriors to 17-2 on the season and keeps their perfect conference record intact at 7-0. Batavia drops to 10-8 overall and 3-3 in SBAAC play.
The scoreline in this one isn’t really indicative of how good of a game it was. The first quarter was one of the more exciting ones I’ve seen at the high school level this season. Fast-paced action, with elite shot-making for both teams. The game plan for Goshen seemed to be to force Batavia to make outside shots, and in the first frame they did so. “We were trapping a lot in the first quarter, which kind of led to some open shots and give them credit, they knocked them down”, said Warriors head coach Miles Burton. Batavia went into the second quarter with a 23-19 advantage.
Bulldog guard Jess Roller has been one of the best players in the SBAAC all season, coming into the matchup averaging 18.5 PPG, second in the conference behind only Goshen’s Caden Zeinner. Roller was able to get to the basket in the first half, scoring 11 points to lead Batavia. Coach Burton knew coming in it would be a challenge to stop Roller. “I mean, he’s a load. You know, at six-five. He’s a matchup problem for us and he’s a heck of a basketball player.” Batavia continued to battle in the second quarter, trailing 40-37 at the half. Caden Zeinner had 19 first-half points for the Warriors, scoring almost at will.
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