BArT Advances in League Playoffs

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires.com Sports
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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- The BArT Wolfpack used a 14-2 first-half run to open up a double digit lead and never looked back Monday in a 71-59, River Valley Athletic League tournament win over Eagle Hill of Hardwick.
 
Isaac Bamba scored 31 points, and Brandon Bamba scored 22 to lead Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public School, which moves on to the RVAL A Bracket semi-finals, scheduled for Tuesday against Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion.
 
Both Bambas showed their versatility, knocking down 3-pointers and slashing to the hoop, while William Peets helped BArT hold its own in the post, collecting numerous rebounds and blocking four shots in the second half.
 
“Brandon Bamba was really hitting from outside, opening up the inside,” BArT coach Robert Daugherty said. “Isaac was coming through with the lay-ups.
 
“Our rebounding is really what stepped up. They’ve got some guys who are bigger than us and who have played a lot longer, and I was very intimidated when I came in and watched these guys warm up.
 
“Our guys came through.”
 
A big factor was Peets, who missed BArT’s regular-season ending win last week but came back with a vengeance on Monday.
 
“He’s had a tremendous amount of blocks all season long,” Daugherty said. “And they’re smart blocks, too. It’s not just swinging his arm and going for the bleachers.
 
“I’m just really impressed with how we played inside. … I couldn’t have asked for a better game from these guys.”
 
Brandon Bamba hit a 3-pointer with 30 seconds left in the first quarter to break the game’s last tie and send BArT to the break with a 17-14 lead.
 
The Wolfpack scored 11 of the first 13 points in the second quarter to open a double-digit lead.
 
Owen Brady got the quarter started with a bucket in the post, and Brandon Bamba ended the run with a triple to make ti 28-16.
 
It was a 13-point margin at half after the Pioneers hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
 
But Eagle Hill got it down to two points by the start of the fourth quarter.
 
Brandon Bamba stopped an 11-0 run by the visitors with a field goal from just inside the 3-point line. Then a Brady steal set up a transition chance for Isaac Bamba, who scored, got to the line and completed the conventional three-point play to give BArT a 52-45 lead.
 
Brandon set up Isaac in the post a few minutes later to re-establish the double-digit lead at 58-48, and Eagle Hill never got closer than eight points the rest of the way. 
 
Tuesday’s 4 p.m. semi-final at the Armory could be moved to Wednesday due to weather. Whenever it is played, it will be a rematch of last year’s RVAL tournament final, when PVCICS edged the Wolfpack in North Adams.
 
“That’s going to be another battle, just like this one,” Daugherty said. “We’re not going to have another easy game.”
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Hoosac Valley High School is Moving and Shaking

There have been some major shifts within the Hoosac Valley Regional School District recently, all of which have focused on enhancing the student experience to make it a place where ALL students can find their path.
 
In 2023, Hoosac Valley High School was designated an Innovation Pathway School by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and has since restructured the Program of Studies, utilized creative scheduling, and expanded internship opportunities. Part of this transformation includes participating in a "Portrait of a Graduate" cohort alongside four other Berkshire County schools to determine a collective vision for student success, in partnership with the BARR Foundation.
 
The Innovation Pathways at HVHS are designed to give students coursework and experience in a specific high-demand industry, such as technology, engineering, healthcare, or life sciences. Currently, Biomedical Science & Healthcare and Environmental Studies have received official state IP designation. In addition to the IP designated pathways, HVHS offers programs in Engineering & Technology, Business & Entrepreneurship, Arts & Entertainment, Education, and Sports Medicine. The result is that students have an opportunity for a transformative experience – enabling them to build essential skills, gain awareness of future career opportunities, and make informed choices about post-secondary education in promising fields.
 
Principal Colleen Byrd notes, "What makes our program special is that entry into the Pathway of your choice allows a student to access Advanced Placement and dual enrollment college courses, as well as internships in the community to set them up for success after high school."
 
The Portrait of a Graduate initiative consists of a team of Hoosac educators and students who exemplify the essential skills, practices, and beliefs that define learning experiences across the district. They work to outline the competencies, values, skills, and knowledge that define our vision for student success – keeping in mind that not every student's pathway will look the same. The District's goal is to ensure that all students graduate as responsible people, prepared individuals, lifelong learners, global citizens, critical thinkers, and thoughtful communicators.
 
Another recent change district-wide in grades K-12 is the "Crew" culture. Teachers and students now have time each day to create positive connections and build authentic relationships with one another. Through Responsive Classroom at the elementary school and Crew at the middle and high schools, students and staff gather for 30 minutes each day to engage in meaningful experiences rooted in mutual and shared interests. 
The Crew block is a prioritized structure that allows staff to support all students socially, emotionally, and academically – anchoring them and promoting the Portrait of a Graduate competencies. Crew takes many forms at the high school, such as gardening, bird watching, yoga, and sports talk with visits to college games.
 
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