It is still early in the basketball season for the Lakers Grade 9 boys but according to their coach - so far, so good.
“They have been doing very well,” said head coach Matthew Kennedy. “We have won every game except one this year including our first tournament.”
So far the Lakers have won five out of six game with the one loss being their first game of the season.
After losing their first game, the boys focused on improving their defense.
Kennedy said ever since the boys focused on improving their defense they have continued to get better as a team. They even be at the team that had beat them their first game.
“The focus is all on defense, especially at this level - defense wins games,” Kennedy said.
The boys are definitely off to a great start in their basketball season in having won almost all of their games.
The energy is definitely felt when these boys are throwing the ball around in practice and at games. Their enthusiasm can’t be missed.
In a practice last Thursday the boys worked on a fierce full court high pressure defense, where they practiced extending their man-to-man defense over the whole court.
They also worked on being better teammates and passing the ball quicker and harder.
“In basketball you want to go fast and take advantage of the fact that you’re going fast,” Kennedy said.
Each practice the boys get better and better as they work harder and harder he added.
The team is high up in the league, no doubt due to their abilities of being extremely athletic and being active in one multiple sports throughout the year.
Kennedy said some of the boys played volleyball a few months ago, now they have extended that into basketball - for others it is hockey and soccer, etc.
The boys are pretty pumped for the rest of the season and Kennedy said they will be sure to pour a lot of enthusiasm into every game.
“They get very excited,” Kennedy said. “At our last game the whole bench was standing up at one point trying to cheer and the referees had to sit them down and tell them to settle down a little bit that’s how excited they get.”
Outside of being tremendous athletes and winners, Kennedy said the players are a great group of young men.
“We have a group of very good young men who are growing up right before our very eyes,” he said. “They are good at school and in the community. They are just a good group of young men.”
reporter@sylvanlakenews.com