Whether on or off the court, Hill varsity boys basketball remain a solid community.

The team this year is coached by head coach Seth Eilberg and assistant coach Phil Canosa, as well as captained by Augie Gerhart ’23 and Josh Cameron ’23.  

After losing 10 seniors after the conclusion of last year’s season, the team filled its open spots with players like Quadri Bashiru ’25, Joseph Terreri ’26, Matthew Field ’23, and Justin Molen ’23, just to name a few. The team has many returning players from last year including Trey O’Neil ’24, Jacob Meachem ’25, and Anderson Brndjar ’24, but they also gained a few more through tryouts, like Gavin Grady ’23, Terry Shao ’24, and Aman Gupta ’23. 

Hill’s varsity boys basketball team headed into the new term with an 8-7 record after their Blue Light matchup against Blair. Last Saturday, Hill basketball took down the reigning MAPL champion Blair Buccaneers 57-50. 

The team showed off their moves by shooting 3-pointers to warm up. The winter athletic teams at Hill exhibit a strong brotherhood and sisterhood like teams such as goys and girls hockey, and boys and girls basketball. The close-knit basketball team can be seen across campus eating their meals and spending time together. 

“I think it’s something special that’s very hard to be simulated, just with how much time you spend with them and how close you get with them,” Gerhart said. “It’s a special relationship.” 

The mainstays of Hill basketball continue to ground the team on the court. When asked about how the team improved from last year, Canosa said that “the guys who returned definitely are improving, which I think is the most important thing.”  

Despite shifts in player makeup over the past year and the slew of new students, the team enhanced their abilities in several key areas on the court.  

“We set a record for 33 made three-pointers in the tournament over three days and we have the ability to knock down double digit threes in a game,” Eilberg said. “I think the team has improved and put in the work to be able to make a higher percent of threes.” 

With a successful season so far, the basketball team looks toward the future. When asked about his goals for the future was, Gerhart said “We haven’t accomplished anything yet so it’s tough to compare them to any of the historical teams.”  

Though it is still early in the season to tell whether the team can hopefully bring either a MAPL or PAISAA title to Hill, the future looks bright as they currently hold first place in the MAPL league. 

Eilberg coached basketball at The Hill since 2001 and said that every team he coached is different, but this team is a group of great guys and great teammates that carried them through tough games.  

“They’re a pleasure to coach and be around. It’s a great group of guys,” Eilberg said.