Boys’ basketball shoots for success
The boys’ basketball team has been strategizing since their practices began during summer break, all for the momentous occasion of the start of their season come October. The group continues to work hard at practice every day for two hours, constantly studying their opponents in order to play their best every game.
The head coach, Devin Fly, has been coaching high school basketball for 16 years. Fly’s goal for this season is to improve the boys’ basketball capabilities, however, it goes beyond their physical abilities. Fly wants to see the boys improving as people. “[My] main plan is to get these guys better both on and off the court,” Fly said. He implements this by improving the boys’ mental philosophy. Some of this important development comes through life lessons found throughout the game of basketball, including lessons that Fly has seen in his past.
Fly feels very confident in the boys’ capability to move through the Marmonte League and far into the playoffs due to their dedication both on and off the court, as well as the affinity between athletes. “I like to think like we’re a family…We joke around while in the weight room talking about the shows we are watching, we’re talking about fantasy football and fantasy basketball,” Fly said. “It’s a fun group [and] I definitely enjoy that camaraderie with these guys, just having fun. Basketball should be fun.”
In addition to knowing what the team will be facing in a game, Jack Lagerquist, sophomore, believes that the boys have formed close relationships with one another. “[The relationships] build chemistry. Now we’re able to read each other [and what] we’re going to do,” Lagerquist said.
Noah Cotton, junior, has been on the team for the past three years and he credits the emphasis on studying their opponents as a key reason why the team has performed so well. “We usually have a pretty good game plan of who we’re playing against because we watch a lot of films [of our opponents],” Cotton said.
Overall, the boys’ basketball team has been working hard to make this season the best yet. Their efforts will continue past the end of their season as they work to prepare themselves for next year, as Fly hopes. “[I want to prepare them] for life after high school and life after basketball. I want to see them succeed. I want them to be good [people] against the world,” Fly said.
