The boys basketball team continued its reign over their district in its successful winter season.
Ever since Coach Billy Thomas left Barstow and his basketball coaching position two years ago, the position has been filled by two new coaches. This last one, however, has stuck. This year, the team learned from their new Head Coach, George Goode, as well as their Assistant Coaches, Tyler Weeks and Esian Henderson.
Almost every player on the team appreciated this change, but of course, learning a new system, playing style, and coaching quirks will always pose a challenge for sports teams. The basketball team this year, however, stepped up to these trials with grace, and proved themselves with their success this season.
To sophomore Carson Matula ‘25, Coach Goode has been a welcome change for the team. “Coach Goode pushed us throughout the season,” Matula explains, “Everyone was working hard. He held us accountable and didn’t let us slack off.”
In part thanks to this new leadership, the team charged through the season, ending with a 12-14 record. Even though the team lost in a few games, the players always stepped up when it counted, winning their District Championship for the second time in a row.
Matula explains that the season “was a rollercoaster. There were a lot of ups and downs, but my favorite moment was the District Championship. It was nice seeing all of our hard work pay off with a piece of hardware.”
In addition to the coaching staff, it would be remiss to not mention the student leadership on the team. The Varsity Captain, Sam Christifano ‘23 was definitely instrumental in leading the team to success during the season. Matula also explains that Josh Thornton ‘24 and Aidan Lawlor ‘24 were active and significant, saying, “We wouldn’t have gotten where we did without Josh, Sam, and Aidan. We needed them.”
The three players previously mentioned were also honored with All-District (Christifano and Lawlor) and All-Conference awards (Thornton), accolades given to some of the best players in these divisions.
The team bond was evident in the smoothness of play. Matula describes their relationships as “a group of my best friends playing together on the team. We always have fun out there when we play.”
Student support this season also showed up, especially at important home games. Lia Adams ‘24, a junior, cites the “homecoming game” as one of her “favorites of the whole season.”
She continues saying that, “All of the games are really hype. There’s a lot of energy going on both on the court and in the stands, especially when we have a big student section. The seniors and juniors get hype!”
The student section always makes games better, not only for the atmosphere itself, but also to energize the players on the court. This was especially prevalent at the Barstow vs. Pembroke rivalry game, where students showed out in their green attire at the Pembroke athletics building.
Adams reminisces saying, “The game at Pembroke was really fun. It was a great day for Barstow…until the end of the game.”
Overall, the confluence of the coaches, players, and overwhelming support for the team lead the team to an incredibly successful season. B-line can’t wait to see the team grow for next year!
