Boys Basketball Team Builds Relationships Throughout the Season

Story and Photo by Bailee Council – Staff Reporter

   This season, the boy’s basketball team has really brought a wave of excitement through the school. With many highlights throughout the season, making memories as a team and working together, the team has shared many moments and celebrated many wins together. 

   “On the team, we have five really good seniors who are encouraging and trying to organize the focus and energy are one of our biggest strengths,” Michael Hilbert, head coach, said.

   Winning 74 – 40 against Blue Springs South at Courtwarming, the pep assembly and the slam dunk contest are only examples of some of the great achievements this season. Throughout these few months, the team has partaken in some traditions that have had just as much of an impact as practices and games, like hosting an elementary camp over winter break and having lunch at a Chinese buffet on New Year’s Eve, with many more to come.

   “January 28, We play Lee’s Summit West and that’s always been a big game. Senior night, February 4th. And the last home game is February 18,” Hilbert said.

   Upcoming games and hopefully wins, but over it all, a huge portion of the positive outcome in the season has to be handed to one of the key players, junior, BJ Stewart.

   Playing since 9th grade and transitioning to basketball from football, Stewart has grown enormously and been used as a great offensive weapon throughout the season, resulting in some amazing wins. 

   “For me, it’s a lot of pressure because I’ve been going off for the whole season so that’s kind of what everybody expects. They expect me to do good so if I have a bad night or something, I feel people are going to think bad, so yeah it’s a lot of pressure,” Stewart said.

   With a definite plan to continue to play basketball in the future, Stewart gives a lot of his motivation to the crowd and the positivity from the school. Along with that, Stewart’s future goal is to win a state title. 

   “One of my favorite memories would have to be the Blue Springs South game where senior Michael Livingston got a dunk and hyped up the crowd and then I later also got a dunk and that really just motivated us to go hard. It was like we had the crowd going for us,’’ Stewart said.

   Motivation and dedication, two things that are semi-needed for any sport but when it comes to Stewart, he has beyond both. He has motivation from his fellow teammates and classmates. He has the dedication to push himself. Along with that, he has room to grow. As a high school athlete, he allows himself to get better and grow throughout games and practices and times with the team.

   “Goofy high school guys. Whether it’s a bus ride, after practice, they are together and always goofing around and having fun together,” Hilbert said.

   As the season continues, the boys continue to grow and share moments with each other using their strengths and learning from their mistakes together as a team.