The Boys Varsity Basketball team’s season ended last Tuesday in the second round of the playoffs. After winning their first playoff game against Fannie Lou Hamer 54-45, the Boys lost to Seward Park High School 80-65. Despite this, the team had one of its most successful seasons in years, going undefeated in regular season play with a 14-0 record and scoring over a hundred points in two separate games.
In an interview with The Classic, head coach Abid Choudhury reflected on this year’s successes.
“I think [the team’s success] is from a combination of multiple things. Part of it is obviously talent. …This group [also] gels together really well. They have good chemistry, and I think that’s really important.” He said that throughout the season, the players knew one another’s strengths and weaknesses and played accordingly.
Senior Captain Andrew Leonard said that the team’s frequent practices were highly effective in growing the team’s identity, skills, and connections, all thanks to a group of players new and old who, right from the get-go were, according to Andrew, “motivated and ready to win.”
In Mr. Choudhury’s words, they were “open to feedback, receptive to feedback, willing to work and willing to grow, making coaching them so much easier and a pleasure.”
Andrew, along with co-captain and senior Sebastian Morales, played pivotal roles this season. Andrew scored an average of 21 points per game and Sebastian averaged 15 points per game. Mr. Choudhury had nothing but praise for their leadership skills, commenting on the active leadership role they played and how they led by example. “They were the most consistent… always the first to practice and willing to work,” he said.
When asked about the responsibilities of being a captain, Andrew talked about how one has to rely on their experience and knowledge “to make sure everyone is doing what they need to do: hold everyone accountable and give them advice.”
“My favorite part of being a captain is helping the younger kids to get better. They seem very happy when they play, and seeing them happy really helps me,” said Sebastian.
This environment has returning players motivated to see what the future has in store for them.
Junior Edward Johnson said that “it’s going to be a hard path, but as long as we stay disciplined, we can achieve greatness. I think our hunger and eagerness to win are what makes us determined to keep winning.”
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