After a successful season, winning 15 games last year, KO’s boys varsity basketball team hopes to continue their success this year for the 2022-2023 season.
Head coach Brad Seaman’s favorite part about the KO boys basketball team is that this is the strongest roster the team has ever had. “With that, we now can have much more competitive practices,” he said, “and competition within our own team breeds success, so the more we can compete, the more players can push each other and try to make themselves better by design.”
Senior Co-captain Gavin Griffiths wants to have fun with the team and help his teammates get better. Building off of last season, Griffiths hopes that this year the team will improve with experience, as this is the first “normal” year since COVID-19.
“This year, we’re trying to build our relationships within the team stronger than ever to make the season more fun and memorable,” senior Co-captain Chase Fountain said. “I’m excited to play with my brothers and just have fun playing basketball.”
Freshman guard DJ Biggins hopes that in his first year on the varsity basketball team, he can make connections with his teammates as he believes that building team chemistry is essential for a team’s success.
Senior Co-captain guard Esco Greene hopes to set an example for the younger players this season. “Being a senior, I feel that it’s very important to lead by example,” he said. “This season I’m looking forward to all of the happy moments being shared with the team. I’m looking forward to the tough games where we all come together as one.”
The challenge Coach Seaman wants to work on this season is overcoming adversity. “We have made our schedule very loaded in the first part of the season,” he said. “Our first five games are exceptionally tough as we are playing teams with really skilled players. Those challenges are how we react early on in the season because towards the end of the season as well, it’s gonna be equally as tough if not harder, so the challenge is for us to figure out who we are.”
Greene’s favorite part about the season is practice, and he can’t wait to compete with his teammates and push everyone to get better.“With this being my senior season, I really am looking forward to leaving everything out there every time we play, and going out with a bang.”
Fountain’s favorite part about the basketball team is that outside of basketball, these are all of his best friends. “It’s bigger than basketball on this team, and that’s what I love,” he said. “Since this is my senior season, I’m just excited to relive the same moments we had last year such as the KITs, every win together, or just seeing your teammates everyday in school.”
Biggins Jr. wants to be a better leader on the court. “I want to be someone that the team can look up to when things aren’t going right,” he said. He hopes this season the team can win a championship and is really looking forward to the KITs.
Griffiths is most looking forward to the team camaraderie and the daily practices with his friends, as this is something he has been looking forward to all fall. His favorite part of the KO basketball team is playing games at KO in front of a crowd and the practices in the company of his teammates, as he really enjoys those.
Coach Seaman enjoys coaching the KO boys basketball team because he loves watching them grow up and mature into really good basketball players as well as good people. “I’m super excited to see the end results of us being able to push each other each day in practice instead of holding out, and we can watch different players evolve,” he said.
As the boys head into the 2022-2023 basketball season, we wish them the best of luck for a fun and successful season!
