During their winter season, the basketball team encountered a major hurdle. Two of the top players on the team, seniors Clay Blair and Jayden Slaughter, had to take a break because of injuries and eligibility issues. With two star players gone, three players had to fill their shoes and guide the team, including sophomore Tre Hope.
“We had to step up taking responsibility,” Hope said.
He, alongside juniors Gavyn Holman and Tra’jhin Aleem, worked together to lead the team through the winter season.
“You know that just means me and other guys just got to step up,” said Holman. “And just have to do what we have to do, and the things our coach had taught us at practice.”
Last year, all three played under the leadership of Luke Moore (25). In the fall, they moved under the leadership of Blair. At the beginning of the spring semester, a new member was added. Slaughter, who transferred from Parkview, only began playing Jan. 13. This is because of complications in grade and course transfers.
“It’s a lot you can say about him, but just one thing you can’t do is stop him,” Holman said.
Aside from the three core players, lots of other members of the team have also stepped up. Coach Shelby Lewis points out how other players like freshmen Jamie Dunn and MJ Witherspoon, sophomore Kingston Cavness, junior Dalen Thomas, and senior Jacob Marshall along many other players of the team have grown and become better players during other’s absence.
“The silver lining in having so many guys hurt is that some of the younger guys have an opportunity to step up and play,” Lewis said. “And so when those other guys come back, the younger guys have already kind of developed a role, and it just makes us better.”
Since most of the team members healed from their injuries, the whole basketball team has now gotten better. Their absence allowed other players to take responsibility and learn how to be a leader.
“It’s a pleasure, like, it’s a blessing to be able to carry the load like that, because a lot of people don’t get to do it, and I’m very fortunate that I’m going to continue to get to do that and get to do that next year, and I’ve got to do it this year and lead my guys, and my guys have trusted me to do that,” said Aleem.
