Wisconsin School for the Deaf - The Wisconsin Times Vol. 135 No. 3 Spring 2014 | Page 16

High School Boys Basketball
First Half of the Season Record: 4-6
Neesam Classic at the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf
WSD 38 at Minnesota Deaf 55
The Firebirds opened the 2013-2014 season with a loss to the Trojans of Minnesota. The Trojans blitzed
the Firebirds in the first half by scoring 31 points while WSD scored only 16 points. The boys attempted
to come back in the second half, scoring 22 points but the Trojans scored added two more points.
Freshman Jerome Payne, playing on the varsity for the first time, led the team scoring with 14 points.
With12 points, senior Gunner Hahn supplemented the scoring. Senior Tanner Evans led the team with
five rebounds while Payne had five steals to pace the defense. Junior point guard Zominique Walker
distributed the ball with four assists.
WSD 37 at Iowa Deaf 39
In the second game out of three games at the Neesam Classic, Wisconsin lost a heartbreaker to Iowa by
only two points. WSD led by four points at halftime but lost the lead in the second half. Tanner Evans
was great defensively gathering 12 rebounds and five steals. The team had a total of 23 steals but that did
not help the team win the game. Hahn collected seven rebounds and scored ten points. Freshman Payne
continued to lead the team in scoring with 13 points.
WSD 79 at Metro Deaf 21
Metro Deaf suffered from an angry Firebirds team who had lost the two previous games. Wisconsin
obliterated Metro with a great offense which scored 48 points in the first half. The defense then clamped
down on the speedy Leopards by allowing only four points in the second half. Junior Damon Hopp finally
woke up in the third game and led the team in scoring with 28 points. Gunner Hahn added 22 points
inside the paint. Senior Jose Zepeda-Amador made 100% of his free throws.
WSD 47 at Rock County
Christian School 76
Rock County raced to
a huge lead over the
Firebirds. By halftime
the score was 48-20. The
Firebirds attempted to
come back in the second
half to no avail as the
opponents’ defense was
too strong. Jerome Payne
and Damon Hopp led
the team with 13 points
each. With 10 rebounds,
Tanner Evans showed
his rebounding prowess.
Junior Zominique Walker
had four steals and
two assists. The team
suffered 27 turnovers
which denied them an
opportunity to win the
game.
2013-14 Winter - 16

RIGHT: Senior
Tanner Evans
does a fake shot
before canning
two points.
Tanner has had
a great season,
improving in
every aspect in
each game.

LEFT: Freshman
Jerome Payne
had a stellar
year starting in
many games.
Here he drives
that ball towards
the hoop.

WSD 33 at Mountain Top
Christian Academy 47
After driving an hour and half
to Horicon, the Firebirds opened
the game listless. Wisconsin
allowed Mountain Top to score
26 points and contributed only
eight of their own first half points.
Mountain Top loosened its clamp
on the Firebirds in the second
half, allowing WSD to score 25
points. It was too late for the
Firebirds to escape the game with
a win. Jerome Payne continued his
excellent freshman year scoring
16 points. Gunner Hahn chipped
in five points and led the team in
rebounding with seven. Damon
Hopp was hot and cold this season
as evidenced in his scoring only
five points in this game, but he
fought hard for six rebounds. After
this game and a 1-4 record, the
team was ready for winter break.