The Cleveland Cavaliers have been consistently in the playoffs the last few years, but they have not had much success seeing as they have not made it to the Eastern Conference Finals in this era of Cleveland basketball. In fact, their last conference finals appearance came in 2018. Could this year flip the script?
Cleveland finished the regular season with a record of 52-30, 12 fewer victories than last season. Their final clip earned them the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.
Their trade deadline acquisitions have made a huge impact with James Harden (20.5 points per game), Dennis Schroder (8.2 points per game), and Keon Ellis (8.3 points per game along with one steal per game).
The Cavaliers first round matchup is a bit of a familiar foe from the 2018 second round, the Toronto Raptors. Our Canadian friends finished with a record of 46-36 and went 4-0 against the Cavs in the regular season.
But so far, the Raptors dominance has not carried into the playoffs. In Game 1 hosted in the 2-1-6, it started off very back-and-forth, but a highlight was Max Strus hitting a buzzer beater lay-up to end the first quarter. At the end of the first half, Cleveland led 61-54.
The Cavaliers continued to do well in the second half as they powered their way to a Game 1 victory, 126-113. Donovan Mitchell led the way with 32 points, Strus had 24 points off the bench, and Harden added 22 points and 10 assists.
In Game 2, the Cavs were led by their big three of Mitchell, Harden, and Evan Mobley. Mitchell had 30 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. Mobley had 25 points and 8 rebounds, and Harden poured in 28 points in a 115-105 victory.
With a 2-0 series lead, the Cavaliers are riding high as they shot very well from the field in these first two games and really came out strong defensively in both second halves.
Game 3 will be played tonight in Toronto and will be streamed on Amazon Prime Video. Tip-off is at 8:00.
Is this finally going to be the year where the Cavaliers get over the hump, like they did in 2016? We sure hope so!
To keep up with the Cavaliers playoff run, click on the Cleveland Cavaliers website.
Regarding Brooklyn athletics, here is the upcoming schedule for the Hurricanes.
From Mexico to Italy to Japan: What will be the final destination? Simple, we will be landing in none other than Puerto Rico.
Sazón Boricua is a casual Nuevo Latino restaurant located on Memphis Avenue in Cleveland, specializing in authentic Puerto Rican cuisine. In a welcoming atmosphere, their food focuses on traditional dishes like mofongo, tostones, and carne frita. Known for its vibrant flavors and generous portions, this restaurant is well-regarded for providing the true taste of the beautiful Caribbean.
With many menu options to choose from, Sazón Boricua is highly recommended for two of its authentic and signature Puerto Rican dishes: Burrifongo and Monfongo.
Burrifongo is a Puerto Rican-style fusion dish that acts as a burrito, using mashed green plantains as the wrapper instead of traditional tortillas.Typically filled with varieties of meat such as steak, chicken, pork, or seafood, it often includes plantain-based mash, peppers, onions, cheese, and mayo-ketchup. It is cited as a speciality and the house’s best-selling dish.
Monfongo is a traditional Puerto Rican dish made primarily from fried green plantains that are mashed together with garlic, salt, and traditional olive oil or butter. Chicharrón (Latin American bacon) is mashed into the mixture to provide a savory, crunchy contrast with the plantain. At Sazón Boricua, Monfongo is available in several varieties that includes stuffed chicken breasts or shrimp.
Located within minutes of Brooklyn, this is a great spot for those with big appetites and salivating palettes. If you are doubting Sazón Boricua’s quality, just take a look at the picture above.
With the highlights of authentic cuisines coming to a close, give El Palenque, Stancato’s, Tokyo, and Sazón Boricua a try. Support local establishments and enjoy!
April is showering us with news and tests. Many tests will be completed by the end of this month with Science OSTs taking place today and Thursday. Also, today officially marks less than 30 days left of school for everyone but seniors. Seniors have 19 days remaining. Since the end of the year is right around the corner, keep up with grades and complete all assignments. No regrets heading into the Summer.
Speaking of OSTs, with ELA, History, and Government in the books, there are still more to go. Taking time to review and getting an adequate night of sleep will prove crucial to high scoring. Below are the remaining dates for state testing.
Biology: April 21
Science 8: April 23
Algebra I: April 28 & 30
Math 8: April 28 & 30
Geometry: April 29
Moving along, the group under the spotlight this week is the Yearbook class/club. The students in Yearbook go around taking pictures at different Brooklyn events. This varies from sports to other school and community events. Simply, this class is responsible for putting the yearbook together. If you ordered a yearbook from last year, make sure to see Mrs. Bader to get your copy.
This serves as a reminder that Prom money and guest passes are due to Mrs. Holko this Friday, April 24. Prom will take place at Windows on the River on Friday, May 22. Be responsible and anticipate this wonderful event.
Seniors, your local scholarship applications are also due this Friday to Mr. Ross. You can’t win scholarship money if you don’t apply, so get those applications in sooner than later.
Finally, as the cold weather is hopefully behind us, get out and support our Spring sports teams. They would love to see you out in full force.
Here is what is coming up for late April and May.
April 24: Prom Money & Guest Passes
April 24: Local Scholarship Applications
April 24: An Evening With (Music & Art)
April 25: Polaris Field Trip
May 7: Spring Concert
May 22: Prom
May 29: Graduation
Have an outstanding week, fellow Hurricanes!
{To stay updated with the Brooklyn City School District, make sure to click here.}
Chosen for this week’s Senior Spotlight is Lauren Atanacio. Lauren is quiet, smart, and polite. She has been in Brooklyn since preschool and works part-time as a babysitter. In her free time, she likes to hang out with friends and play soccer. After graduation, she plans to attend Kent State University and pursue a degree in Nursing. A fun fact about Lauren is that Bad Bunny is her favorite musician.
Q: What is a moment from high school that you will never forget?
A: “Going on the Europe trip.”
Q: What made your senior year different from your junior, sophomore, and freshman years?
A: “It was more stressful.”
Q: What is something about high school that people don’t talk enough about?
A: “People don’t talk about mental health enough. Personally, I don’t think high school is as stressful as some people say, but I definitely think maintaining stable mental health should be talked about more.”
Q: With graduation in about a month, what is your main focus?
A: “Keeping up with my grades and not falling behind.”
Q: If you could relive one day of your life, what would it be?
A: “My soccer senior night.”
Q: If you could be any superhero, who would you be?
A: “Spider-Man. Climbing things and swinging on a web seems so fun.”
Q: If you could have any exotic pet, what would it be?
A: “A monkey because they are cute and small.”
Q: Out of your entire school career, what teacher has been your biggest inspiration and/or influence?
A: “My biggest inspirations/influences have been Mrs. Sullivan and Mrs. Bader. Mrs. Bader has always been easy to talk to and gives very good advice. Mrs. Sullivan was the best teacher who set me up very well academically.”
Thank you for your participation in this week’s Senior Spotlight, Lauren. Good luck in your future Nursing career.
On Monday, the Hurricanes baseball team (1-2) took on one of their Chagrin Valley Conference rivals, the Trinity Trojans (0-1-1). The Hurricanes dropped their last two conference games against the Beachwood Bison after winning their season opener against the Euclid Panthers. The Trojans, on the other hand, tied John Hay in their season opener but lost their conference opener to Independence, 43-0. Yes, you read that score correctly.
Senior Zander Rolon started on the mound for the Hurricanes, and the Trojans plated one run in the top of the first after a walk, a stolen base, a passed ball, and an RBI single. In the bottom of the first, sophomore Matt Kenderes walked and stole second, and sophomore Mason Vega drove him in with an RBI double. After Vega advanced to third, Rolon then walked, and Vega scored on a passed ball to give the Hurricanes a 2-1 lead after one frame.
In the top of the second, the Trojans drew a walk and a hit-by-pitch to lead off the inning. A bases loaded walk then tied the game. In the bottom half after a lead-off walk by senior Nathan Phillips, he advanced to third on a wild pickoff and later scored on a passed ball. After two, the Hurricanes had a slim 3-2 lead.
In the middle innings, the Trojans got their offense going with two runs in the third and two in the fourth, and the Hurricanes’ bats went silent, getting shutout for the next three innings. Trinity held a 6-3 lead after five innings in stunning fashion.
In the top of the sixth, the Trojans tacked on another two runs to make it 8-3, but senior Jacob Collins got the final two outs to prevent any further damage.
When the bats needed to get going, the Hurricanes relied on an unlikely source. Instead of Jobu from the movie Major League, the Hurricanes counted on the fans to get them going, mainly senior softball player Nicolle Thomas Garcia. Freshly off of her recent court appearances, she was present at the ballpark to help spark a rally.
Sure enough, sophomore Bentley Cox belted a lead-off double, Kenderes walked, and both runners moved into scoring position. Both then scored on a Vega two-run single, who later moved to third on a single and an error. This was just the beginning as walks, hit-by-pitches, and wild pitches pushed the Hurricanes in front as senior Ryan Gardner scored the tying run and Phillips scored the go-ahead run. However, this wasn’t it. The Hurricanes added two more runs on wild pitches, and Rolon drove in two more with a single. Just like that, the Hurricanes held a 13-8 advantage going into the seventh and final inning.
Vega went to the mound to close it out, and while he gave up two runs, he was able to lock things down as the Hurricanes completed the comeback victory.
Final Score: Brooklyn 13, Trinity 10.
Rolon finished his start with 2.2 innings, giving up three hits and three earned runs, while walking six batters and striking out six. Kenderes manned the middle, pitching 2.2 innings and giving up two earned runs, while walking five batters and striking out six. Collins pitched 0.2 innings without giving up a hit or a run and was credited with the victory.
Congratulations, boys!
The baseball team will be back in action today as they travel to Medina Christian Academy. First pitch is at 5:00.
Here is the upcoming schedule for Brooklyn Hurricanes Athletics:
April 16: Baseball @ Medina Christian Academy (5:00)
When one thinks of Japan, certain aspects come to mind such as Godzilla, Anime, Pokemon, Shohei Otani, and Mr. Miyagi. Additionally, when it comes to Japanese cuisine, Shinto seems to be the most popular and recognizable restaurant. However, did you know that a local restaurant is receiving amazing reviews for their authentic Japanese food? It goes by the title of Tokyo Japanese Cuisine, located on Tiedeman Road.
Tokyo Japanese Cuisine features authentic and fresh Japanese food. The restaurant opened in 2025 and is a highly-rated, casual spot that offers (to name a few) sushi, sashimi, and ramen. Additionally, many dinners incorporate fresh seafood and flavorful broth.
Open every day of the week except Tuesday, Tokyo Japanese Cuisine provides both dine-in and take-out options, featuring an extensive menu.
One of the most popular dishes is the famous lobster tail. While ordering the lobster tail, one can order a variety of sides from which to choose: Fried rice, grilled vegetables, grilled shrimp, white rice, or sushi. Patrons can also make this a meal, which comes with fried rice, grilled vegetables, and four shrimp.
Their most traditional meal is the custom ramen bowl that can include chicken broth, vegetable broth, or pork broth. To top the ramen, options include egg, pork, seafood stir fry, and a bunch more to choose from. Need to wash down the ramen bowl? Special drinks to quench thirst include their famous milk tea, fresh fruit tea, and cucumber water.
Tokyo Japanese Cuisine provides a little insight into authentic food from the Empire of Japan. Since the drive to this restaurant is within five minutes, why not give it a try and sample it for yourself?
The final stretch is here, and we hope that everyone enjoyed their 10 days off and is ready to finish this school year in a strong and memorable fashion.
Today starts the Post Prom ticket sales for all who are interested. Post Prom this year is at Fun ‘n’ Stuff, and there will be fun activities with laser tag, go karts, mini golf, etc. Post Prom takes place on Friday and Saturday, May 22-23, from 12:00-4:00 a.m. Tickets cost $15 per and will be available during lunch hours until April 30. Remember, you do not have to attend Prom to be a part of Post Prom.
Next, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was the music department. As a result of the auditorium renovations, the upcoming “An Evening With” concert will take place at the newly-renovated Brooklyn Early Childhood Center on April 24. It will feature the Singing Storm, the Brooklyn Jazz Ensemble, and also art from the National Art Honor Society. The concert will begin at 7:00. Showing up before the start time is recommended as this event is usually thoroughly-attended.
Moving along, the club under the spotlight this week isn’t really a club but more of an extracurricular class. The BHS band is practicing for their annual Spring concert, which is also their final performance of the year. However, this year’s concert is going to be a little different than prior concerts since the auditorium and band wing are currently being remodeled. This year’s concert will be held in the BHS Gymnasium on May 7. If you are interested in joining the band next year, please see Mr. Sullivan for more information.
Onto something that all students dread for the year: OSTs. Students are going to be finishing up their OSTs throughout the month of April for their core classes. Test-takers, make sure to be prepared by getting a good night of sleep, eating a good breakfast, and making sure that your chromebook is charged. Most importantly, believe in yourself. Good luck to all students.
Below is the upcoming OST schedule.
History: April 15
Government: April 16
Biology: April 21
Science 8: April 23
Algebra I: April 28 & 30
Math 8: April 28 & 30
Geometry: April 29
A special congratulations to junior Ben Denovchek for successfully predicting the winner of Mr. Holko’s annual March Madness Challenge: The Michigan Wolverines. With this achievement, he will be granted a gift card to a restaurant of his choosing.
Finally, there are only 36 days left until Summertime. Seniors, you only have 26 days remaining and that is if you are required to take finals. In the meantime, get those post-graduation plans set in stone. Finish strong!
Outside of the testing dates mentioned above, here is the limited calendar for April and early May.
April 24: An Evening With (Jazz & Art)
April 25: Polaris Field Trip
May 7: Spring Concert
Have an outstanding Spring week, fellow Hurricanes!
{To stay updated with the Brooklyn City School District, make sure to click here.}
Chosen for this week’s Senior Spotlight is Hugo Barillas. Hugo is nonchalant, smart, and kind. This is his first year at Brooklyn, and he works part-time at Decades. In his free time, he likes to go out with his friends and hoop (play basketball). A fun fact about Hugo is that he can whistle a whole song for a long period of time.
Q: Where do you think is the best place to go for a Summer vacation?
A: “Florida because I love the beaches and the hot weather.”
Q: What do you think was the hardest part of your high school career?
A: “Seeing how people and things change over the years.”
Q: Favorite activity outside of school?
A: “Hanging out with friends.”
Q: Plans after graduation?
A: “I want to pursue a career in HVAC.”
Q: What was the best year of high school for you?
A: “Senior year because it’s less work, and it prepares you for life after high school.”
Q: What show do you like and keep returning to the most?
A: “All American because it shows the determination of a high school athlete who is managing grades and sports.”
Q: What is your most nostalgic memory?
A: “Basketball Senior Night this year.”
Q: Out of your entire school career, what teacher has been your biggest inspiration and/or influence?
A: “Mr. Shepherd because he was a great coach for basketball, but he also guided me on-and-off the court.”
Thank you for your participation in this week’s Senior Spotlight, Hugo. Good luck in your future HVAC career.
Two weekends of March Madness are complete, and now, only four teams remain. Let’s recap how the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 games unfolded for each region.
*South Region: This region saw three B1G teams advance to the Sweet 16 with Iowa, Nebraska, and Illinois, along with the Houston Cougars out of the XII conference. Iowa versus Nebraska saw a high-scoring first half, and the Cornhuskers held the lead for the majority of the game. However, in the final minutes, the Hawkeyes rallied, led by Alvaro Folgueiras, who hit a clutch three-pointer when Nebraska only had four defenders on the court. How does this happen? Anyway, the Hawkeyes advanced, 77-71. The second matchup saw the higher seeds Illinois and Houston. A strong defensive half with a combined 46 points, the Fighting Illini came alive in the second half, led by David Mirkovic, who had 14 points and 10 rebounds. The Fighting Illini advanced to the Elite 8, knocking off the Cougars, 65-55. Now for the Elite 8 matchup between two B1G teams. The Hawkeyes continued their run by holding a four-point lead at halftime, but their Cinderella story had no gas left, as Illinois rallied to advance to their first Final Four since 2005.
*West Region: This region saw the top two seeds, Arizona and Purdue, make it to the Sweet 16, plus Arkansas and the lowest seed, Texas. Arizona has had one of the most dominant offenses of the tournament, and they continued their onslaught by putting up 109 points against the Razorbacks with six players in double figures. On the other hand, Texas and Purdue was a close game with the Boilermakers holding a small lead for the majority of the contest. However, the Longhorns grabbed the lead late into the game, and with things going back-and-forth, it came down to the final seconds with the game tied at 77. Purdue had one final possession and scored the game-winning tip-in with 0.7 seconds left to escape and advance to the Elite 8. For a chance at a trip to the Final Four, the top two seeds faced off, and Purdue held a seven-point lead at the half over Arizona. Things were looking good for Purdue; however, the Wildcats rallied in the second half, outscoring the Boilermakers 48-26. Arizona was heading back to the Final Four with a decisive 79-64 victory.
*East Region: This region had the top teams advance (Duke, UConn, Michigan State) to the Sweet 16 with the exception of Kansas, who was replaced by St. Johns. The Red Storm and Blue Devils played a very competitive, back-and-forth game with both teams getting multi-possession leads, but the game came down to the wire. The Blue Devils survived 80-75 off the backs of Isaiah Evans’ 25 points and Cameron Boozer’s 22 points and 10 rebounds. UConn and Michigan State saw the Huskies grab a 19-point lead in the first half but later dropped to eight at the break. In the second half, the Spartans tried to spark a rally, but their big first half deficit was too difficult to overcome, as the Huskies advanced with a 67-63 win. The top two seeds in the region had arguably the best game of the entire tournament. The Blue Devils had a 19-point lead in the first half, and it seemed like things were going to go similarly to the Spartans-Huskies Sweet 16 matchup. With a 15-point lead at halftime, Duke was in good position to advance. However, the Huskies started to rally, and a costly turnover by Cayden Boozer in the final seconds with Duke up two led to UConn’s final possession and a Hail Mary heave by Braylon Mullins with 0.3 seconds left to stun the Blue Devils and propel the Huskies to the Final Four.
*Midwest Region: Lastly, the Midwest Region consisted of Michigan, Iowa State, Alabama, and Tennessee. The Crimson Tide seemed in control in the first half against the top-seeded Wolverines as they held a one-possession lead with 20 minutes in the books. However, Alabama’s offense in the second half took a big hit as the Wolverines gained control and defeated the Crimson Tide 90-77 to advance to the Elite 8. On the other end of the bracket, the Volunteers and Cyclones went back-and-forth in the first half with the lower seeded Volunteers clinging to a one-point lead at the half. In the second half, Tennessee came out strong, looking to knock off Iowa State, and sure enough, the Vols showed up and got the 76-62 win. The Elite 8 matchup between Michigan and Tennessee saw utter dominance by the Wolverines, who had a 48-26 halftime lead. They continued their assault in the second half, led by Yaxel Lendeborg’s 27 points, and earned the dominating victory, 95-62.
Now with the Final Four all set, who will prevail? Below is the current leaderboard plus championship picks from The Return of the Eye sports staff, Mr. Holko, and Mr. Urig.
Reese – 14: Arizona (One healthy leg and a one-point lead for the sophomore.)
Mr. Holko – 13: Michigan (Go Blue!)
Mr. Urig – 13: Arizona (Bandwagon pick.)
Jacob – 11: Arizona (Should probably consult Mr. Abramovic for future brackets.)
Nicolle – 10: Arizona (10 is the current number of points on her driving record.)
Will it be Connecticut, Illinois, Arizona, or Michigan? We will find out on Monday evening when the champion is crowned in Indianapolis.
Here is the upcoming schedule for Brooklyn Hurricanes Athletics:
THE RETURN OF THE EYE 