Varsity:
After having a successful previous season, the OHS boys basketball team is back and better than ever. With the season in full swing, the team keeps working together to continue finding success on and off the court.
“Our team dynamic is playing as hard as we can to lock up every team, and when we play our defense well, that’s how we get easy buckets and transition buckets,” said Colton Watson, junior.
One very noticeable characteristic of the boys varsity basketball team is that their team chemistry shines wherever they go.
“I think we are all like a brotherhood; we all care about each other and lift each other up and stay positive when times are tough,” Watson said.
A challenge that the team has had to overcome was playing difficult teams during their non conference schedule, but persevering through that benefited them in the long run.
“They were definitely more physical than the teams in Arizona, so it just taught us to be more physical, and that we aren’t the best team out there. It gave us a little head butt,” said TayVion Wilson, senior.
The varsity team is a very connected group of individuals from the players to the coaches, everyone is on the same wavelength.
“I’ve gotten to see four different teams and this year we just seem very connected;we are very bought in with the coaches and were just ready to work and get back what we lost last year,” said Micheal Simcoe, senior.
In the future, OHS is going to lose some of the key players to the team once they graduate, but in the time ahead the program still seems bright.
“We have got some great young players and hopefully they will continue to grow and we will still be good… Once the seniors graduate, Colton [Watson] is really good now, Rylan Parsley is really good now, we have some really good juniors that people don’t know about because our seniors are really good,” said Joshua Cole, head coach.
Through wins and losses, the brotherhood of the OHS basketball program is what is really remembered about their group of athletes.
“I mean our goal is to make it all the way, but you know, we don’t define success by wins and losses, we define them by if we continue to get better. We can have a perfect game and still lose and have an awful game and still win, we wouldn’t want success to be defined by that,” Cole said.
JV:
It’s easy to get lost in the excitement of the varsity level, but OHS’s junior varsity team is full of key players that change the whole program. This team is full of heart and dedication to the sport.
“Our team dynamic is pretty good, everyone is really together, we’re like a big family almost,” said Brody Wilson, sophomore.
A key factor to success in games is good communication and chemistry on and off the court. For the JV team, this isn’t a problem.
“We’re all connected. Our chemistry is pretty good,” said Xander Mitchell, freshman.
Despite the size of the JV team being on the smaller side, they don’t let this stop them from working hard for victories.
“It’s a challenge that our team isn’t that big, but the talent we have makes up for it,” Mitchell said.
Other than having noticeable talents on the court, the JV team also carries other characteristics that lead them to success.
“We all work hard and take things seriously and we are all friends outside of the games,” said Liam Pavey, sophomore.
There is no doubt that the future of the OHS boys basketball program will be in good hands with this new talent stepping up.
“In the future we might be smaller than our varsity currently is but our talent will be good enough to be successful,” said Jaxson Sullivan, freshman.
Freshmen:
Stepping into the OHS basketball program presents big shoes for the freshmen to fill. So far this season the newest members of the program haven’t had a problem fulfilling this legacy. In fact they are stepping up to the challenge and working hard as a team.
“We work really well together and push each other to be our best,” said Jayden Davis, freshman.
Coming into such a highly competitive program can be hard, but the freshmen’s brotherhood helps them push through any hardships they encounter.
“Thinking more about the team than ourselves helps us overcome challenges,” said Tanner Hawkns, freshman.
Even with challenges such as facing harder teams, the OHS freshmen can persevere through.
“We have played a couple of good teams but I would say we are overcoming adversity,” Hawkns said.
Above all, the drive and determination to win this team carries is what’s going to set them up to continue the OHS basketball brotherhood legacy.
“Overall the team is doing very well…the freshmen are looking good for the future of this program,” Davis said.
