Bronx River’s annual grade vs. grade basketball tournament kicked off on Monday in the school gym, with the freshman and sophomore teams combined due to eligibility issues.

In the opening game, the seniors defeated the combined freshman-sophomore team 19- 4. The seniors took control early and maintained their lead throughout the game.

The combined freshman-sophomore team then faced the juniors, winning 15 -13 in a close matchup that remained competitive throughout.

Due to the adjusted format this year, a third game was played to determine the final standings. The juniors entered the game at risk of elimination following their earlier loss. But during the game, the seniors took control early and secured a 22-12 win, eliminating the juniors from the tournament.

Despite the loss, junior Johntae Velez emphasizes sportsmanship.

“I’m rooting for both teams; I’m never gonna play people down because they beat us. There’s respect between all the teams regardless of the outcome,” Johntae said.

When asked who was most instrumental to his team’s success, senior Kassim Songo credited his teammate Mustapha Drammeh.

“He tells us what we did well during the game, as well as what we could’ve done better, so we listen to him. We won today because of him, he’s our MVP.”

The seniors will face the combined freshman-sophomore team in the championship game on Wednesday, March 25.