Our varsity boys basketball team kicked off the season with a home game against Homer High School on December 1st. After countless practices, the team fought hard Monday night and won 72-28. Jett Smith led the way with 19 points. Brady Garrett added 16, and Connor Stevens scored 13. Marcus Gill Jr. chipped in 9, and Darrell Dean Jr. pitched in 8.
The boys’ basketball team played an intense game, staying focused and working together from the first whistle to the final buzzer. Their defense remained strong, and they moved the ball smoothly on offense, executing smart plays and maintaining momentum on their side.
Coach Marcus Gill was incredibly proud of his team during this game. He shares, “I’m just proud of the way we play together. We always say we like to do the ‘control the controllable.’ So, our energy, our effort, our attitude, and our aggressiveness, then we like to play hard, play smart, play tough, and together, and I think we did all of those things last night, so it was pretty special.”
This year, the varsity team consists of seven seniors, three juniors, three sophomores, and only one freshman: Zack Stevens. When asked about his experience being the only freshman, Zack says, “It’s a high achievement because I get to work with better players every day, get to work harder at practice, and become a better player.”
Also on the team is Zack’s older brother, Connor Stevens. In some cases, playing on a team with a sibling may seem difficult, or even discouraging. But Zack says, “[playing with my brother] helps me become a better player overall because he always pushes me to become a better person on and off the court.”
Many teammates express that the environment, both on and off the court, is like one big family. Coach Gill explains they spend large amounts of time together as a team between summer basketball programs, fall weight-lifting, and pre-season conditioning, all the way up until basketball season.
Marcus Gill Jr., a sophomore and son of Coach Gill, describes the environment from his perspective: “At the end of the day, it’s just a lot of people that have been playing together for a long time, so it just feels like a family.”
Senior Jett Smith says he will most miss playing with all of his friends after he graduates. For himself, he has the goal to score a total of 1,000 points this season.
Even when the opposing team pushed back, they stayed confident and kept their energy high. In the end, their teamwork and determination paid off, and they walked away with a well-deserved win.
The team plays again at 7 pm on Wednesday at Hillsdale Academy and needs all the support they can get. If you are able to make it, it is truly an unforgettable experience!
