Regular season practices have begun for the boys basketball team. However, the players have been gearing up for the 2023-2024 season since early summer.
The team is excited to head into the season with the same coaches from last year, Coach Goode, Coach Esian, and Coach Tyler.
Last season, the varsity team ended with a record of 12-14 and were district champions. This year, both the players and the coaches want to step up their game. “I want to go further and go to state,” says Josh Thornton ‘24, one of the senior team captains. “Winning districts has been the norm for our basketball team, and it’s not as exciting anymore. Going to the final four would be really good for us.”
The boys have been practicing since the end of last season, according to Coach Tyler, and only had a brief break during the month of July. They played summer league in June on top of the regular preseason practices, and the coaches feel like the players are already reaping the rewards from that extra time together on the court.
“After last season, everyone was a little disappointed because we thought we were going to go further,” says Jackson McNickle ‘24. “Going into this season, we know a lot of things we need to fix, and we will. We’ve already improved a lot from last year.”
One of the many strengths of this year’s players is their experience. The vast majority of the players are returning, and even with the new freshmen, they mesh together well as a team. Having several new incoming players also helps ensure the continued success of the program.
When asked about the transition from middle school basketball to high school, Robert Waldeck ‘27 said, “There are a lot more moving parts, and practices are much more intense, but in a good way that will get us prepared for the season.”
During practice, the boys are split up into two groups, varsity and JV and JV and C Team. They work on drills, fundamentals, plays, and do some scrimmaging by the end of practice. “They’re all about teaching. The coaches encourage high energy and for us to hype each other up, which is a big part of what makes practice fun,” says Aidan Lawlor ‘24.
“As their coaches, we try to make sure everyone stays positive and talks to each other the right way,” says Coach Tyler. “I’m their biggest critic,” says Coach Goode. “I’m gonna be honest and shoot straight with them, but I still want to foster a positive environment.”
The boys who come out have a lot in common. Their determination is evident in the energy during practice, and it seems like the entire team is driven to send them as far as they can during the postseason. Several players have the goal to be the best they can be in order to push the team further, especially for the seniors (Mateo Mountford, Aidan Lawlor, Josh Thornton, Jackson McNickle, and Joe Whitfill) as they embark on their final season.
On top of determination, the players have excellent chemistry. Everyone is friends with one another, and there’s no tension during or after practice. Team communication is consistent and improved from last year on and off the court, and they work hard to hold each other accountable in order to improve as a team.
“We trust each other on and off the court,” says Will Carter ‘25. “We build team chemistry outside of practice, too, like when we sit together at lunch or hang out during FLEX.”
“We’re definitely a tough team mentally, and if we work together it’s going to be hard to beat us,” says Grant Fenell ‘25. Lawlor agrees, saying “Once we’re hot, we’ll be unstoppable.”
Chase Mulligan ‘25 sums it up best. To put it simply, “We aren’t just a team, we’re a family.”
As far as opponents and future games go, the players are most looking forward to playing St. Michael the Archangel, Summit Christian, Blue Valley North (a new opponent this season), Lone Jack, and, of course, Pembroke. “I’ve never beaten [Pembroke]. We lost to them by one point last year and in districts. I want to change that,” says Thornton.
“I look forward to every game,” says Coach Goode, “but I’m excited to play Raytown South since that’s where I went to high school. It’ll be fun to see those guys.” Coach Tyler shares similar feelings about his alma mater, Van Horn, too.
“We’re hoping for that steady grind, and look at things day by day,” says Coach Goode. “We aim high, and are always building upon the team and our skills till the end of the season,” says Lawlor.
As far as what we can do as a community to support the boys, they would love to see everyone come out to both home and away games. The coaches ask that we get involved and bring supportive energy whenever possible.
“We’re ready,” says Thornton, “they should look forward to us having a great season.”
