March 28, 2024

Boys Basketball Looks For Another Successful Season

The Boys Basketball team is made up of very skilled and talented players, and a great coaching staff led by Coach Madden and Coach Atkinson.
When asked about expectations for the season, Bryce Bland said he expects the team to make the playoffs as they have done the past ten years. “The main expectation I have for this basketball season is to keep the Hills West tradition going by making the playoffs. It’s something Hills West has done for the last 10+ years, and I don’t expect it to end this season.”
Despite the fact that most of the team’s core last year was made of sophomores and juniors, the loss of some of the seniors are definitely missed, notably Cedric Gordan and Jordan Rader. “Although players from last year are missed, like Ceddy Gordon for his enthusiasm and scoring ability, along with Jordan Rader for his vocal presence on the court and uplifting attitude, the team this year has great shooters and big men that can dominate,” said Bryce. He also added every player in the lineup has to take their part in the team plan seriously, “Everyone has to take part in the role they’re given if one person doesn’t do their job, everything falls apart.”
This is especially important for the Colts because the team really shines when all the players play their roles well, as well as synergize with other players and their roles.
Other key players, like Ryan Turner and Zach Seltzer’s, have the ability to run and score on fast-break plays, which is crucial in the team’s offense Their height also helps the team with defense and rebounding. Both things make Zach and Ryan extremely beneficial to the team with lockdown defense, and relentless interior scoring “Zach and Ryan give extra height to our team, which helps with rebounds and overall scoring. They are both very good at running our fast break, which leads to easy points down the court.”
Another player, junior Colby Jordan is injured, but he is still one of the team’s best scorers, and will no doubt be a huge offensive presence for the Colts when he returns from injury. “Colby, who’s currently out due to injury, has shown that he’s great at getting inside and getting layups or making plays for teammates.”
The team has made improvements from last season, which shows the hard work and determination of the team. The team’s chemistry has improved from last year, and the team is much more cohesive. Also, the players are all the more experienced compared to last season. Every player has followed the plan put in place by Coach Madden and Coach Atkinson.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT

Brent Bland can knockdown a 3-point shot, which has made him one of the Colt’s most formidable players this season, as well as a big problem for the Colts opponents on defense. “Brent’s shooting ability is already well known around the school, but his defense has improved drastically,” said Bryce. The duo of Brent and Bryce will shock other teams with their shooting ability from behind the arc this season.