This year, the boys’ varsity basketball team looks to continue last year’s success with stud performances from a strong core of players.
Coach Brad Seaman enters his eighth season at the helm of the team and has much to look forward to with this group of men. He especially called out senior guard Tyler Brown, senior forward Captain Stryckland Whitley-Ligon, senior forward Captain Will Parkhouse, and senior guard Captain DJ Biggins. “The eight core boys are all returners this year. Tyler Brown, Stryckland Whitley-Ligon, and Will Parkhouse have all been playing together since sixth grade,” Coach Seaman explained. “DJ Biggins joined that mix freshman year, too.”
The captains all contribute valuable personalities to create a unique and beneficial environment in practice and games. “Some common traits among all captains are that they work well collaboratively and value body care consistently in different mobility and strength classes on and off campus,” Coach Seaman explained.
Preseason looked different this year compared to previous years, Coach Seaman explained. Eight of the players rostered for basketball were preoccupied playing in the KO varsity football’s John Mackey Bowl Game against The River’s School. “All that means for this team is that preseason took the younger guys and familiarised them with our system, pace of play, and expectations for the season,” Coach Seaman said.
Many Wyverns who are trying out for the varsity team have wondered: What does it take to make this team? “We have a stacked returning team of six players that all want to contribute and can score,” said Coach Seaman. “From that, we have 10 guys who can all do more than what is asked of them. We are asking everyone to sacrifice a bit for the greater good of the team.”
Whitley-Ligon, known by his teammates and classmates simply as “Stryck,” is the first to agree with this. “Basketball is not an individual game; it is based on team performance,” Whitley-Ligon said. “For the team to succeed this year, we all must work together by giving a little for the betterment of the whole.”
The hoopers took on Westminster last Wednesday in their season opener, cruising to a 74-53 victory. Coach Seaman was proud to see everyone firing on all cylinders. Parkhouse, the three-point threat, was the story of the night, his seven three-pointers and 23 points powering the team to the win. Underclassmen were also great contributors, coming off the bench. Junior guard Mike Waters, junior guard Xavier Hernandez-Xavier Newton, and junior forward Matt Lysik had 15, 22, and nine points, respectively.
Coach Seaman contributed much of the team’s success to their training regimen. “The community effort to improve here at KO is unmatched at any other school,” Coach Seaman said. “Alumni who are in college or have graduated came back over Thanksgiving break to scrimmage the team, which is enormous. It gives us footage to break down, tests our communication, and helps us overcome adversity. The other benefit is the matter of who’s coming back. Twenty-one collegiate-level alumni who know our system, and specifically know how to break apart and exploit weaknesses for the collective progress of everyone and prepare us come gametime.”
Community isn’t just stressed on campus in the gyms; it’s also in the community at large. What does that mean? “Monday night over Thanksgiving break, our guys joined a workout with high school-age adults with special needs, improving teamwork, communication, and community.” Coach Seaman shared. “The program director called me after and said it was the best Monday night they had in their 17-year program.” As Whitley-Ligon said earlier, it’s a team effort, and this team has built bridges connecting them to the community at large.
Brown, Whitley-Ligon, Parkhouse, and Biggins (all committed to Division I and high-academic Division III colleges and universities) will lead the team as the season goes along.
