The Firm

Even with their game faces on, this trio of seniors wouldn't intimidate anyone. Stick a tall weed in their mouth and either one could pass as Huck Finn. Yet the steely focus and determination that the three brought to the Sallies gym on Friday night belied their looks.

Lafferty, Hamm, and Van Heest (l to r in photo). Sounds like a proper name for a law firm. As their careers draw to a close, each one of their on-court identities has crystallized. The reliable replacement, the senior leader, and the gun for hire. Neither is blessed with LeBron or Juwon or Delle Donne skills enough to be known as anything more. But that's OK with me, and hopefully, for the rest of you Spartan boys basketball fans. They are the core of a fine TEAM.

The three and their teammates treated us to a great victory over Salesianum last night. The team played nearly flawless basketball for the first half of the game, leading 22-11. They then handled the Sallies' pressure and fought off the comeback for one of the biggest victories of their basketball careers. In the last quarter, it was the three seniors that sealed the victory: Hamm with a key jumper, Van Heest and Lafferty with clutch free throws.

Get out to cheer on these guys this week on Tuesday at Newark and Thursday at Glasgow. They probably need to win at least one of these games to qualify for the state tournament, where they just might create some more special memories for themselves, and their fans.