On a roster of 17 varsity boys basketball players, five of the spots are taken by freshmen. Despite going head-to-head against players who are older and larger, the freshmen are dynamic and more than capable of the challenge.
The boys varsity basketball team saw an increase in freshmen players this year, from only one or two in past years to five. Players and coaches attribute this rise to the talent and energy young players have brought to the court this year.
Few freshmen usually make the cut for boys varsity basketball, but boys varsity basketball coach Johnny Williams said the talent of this year’s freshmen class has earned many a spot on varsity, and he is excited to coach them for the next three years.
“It has nothing to do with their age or grade. It’s their skill level that makes them varsity players,” Williams said.
Senior and captain Mason Stern said the freshmen on the team are very talented. Stern said freshman Chase Lezama, a starter, has skills and a mindset that exceed some of the older players he’s seen.
“Chase is one of the best freshmen I’ve ever seen in my entire life,” Stern said. “He’s better than some of the other seniors we play against. He’s so mentally advanced.”
All of the freshmen on the team have played basketball for years, including freshman Jasper Krier, who has been part of other teams and leagues, such as the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). Krier gets heavy minutes on the team and said he put in a lot of effort leading up to tryouts.
“I thought I had a pretty good chance,” Krier said. “In preparation for tryouts, I tried to play against people older and better than me.”
According to Stern, while their abilities are what landed the freshmen a spot on the team, the energy they have on and off the court motivates their teammates. He said the freshmen are very social, cultivating a positive atmosphere.
“I feel like I’ve talked more with these freshmen than I’ve talked with a few of the juniors, just because they’re so outgoing and like to get us going,” Stern said. “They keep us active, keep us energized, and they’ve contributed to a well-rounded and positive team morale.”
This spirit created strong bonds within the team, helping them succeed during the season. Krier said the environment and common goal of winning play a part in the team’s synergy.
“We have a great team chemistry this year, and that’s helped us be good this season,” Krier said. “The environment made it pretty easy because we all want to win, so we can come together on that.”
As the season wraps up, Williams said he hopes the freshmen will come back next year with the same enthusiasm and encourage new players to have that same spirit as they take on larger roles within the team.
“Next year, some of them are going to step into a bigger role, but that experience they had this year rolls over next year [and] keeps the energy going,” Williams said. “Any freshmen that come in, [they will] tell them to bring spirit, joy and love of the game.”
