By Isaiah Washington, News Editor, and Oscar Jaimes, Staff Reporter
The boys basketball season starts in December with Junior Varsity’s first game scheduled for December 10th and Varsity’s first game is on December 9th. The Cardinal Post talked to Coach Anthony Martin and three players to preview how they feel about the upcoming year.
Coach Martin told the Cardinal Post his favorite part of being a coach is “watching people experience success after experiencing difficulties.”
After last year’s season coach Martin and the boys’ basketball teams knew that they were meant for more: their goal is to win the state championship. But that’s not their only goal. Coach Martin said, “I would like to win a state title, but I also hope that we improve and get better.” This year, the most challenging team on the schedule is Founders of Leander. “They usually win against us,” said Martin.
Martin said that their goal for this season was to become better to beat their rivals. When comparing last year’s season to this year, Martin said this year’s team will be “better than last year, because we have another year with the same group so they know each other better, so they’re better, faster, and stronger.” Martin says the team will train and learn new concepts to increase their skill and knowledge of the game.
Martin’s coaching has already influenced his team. Junior Isaiah Washington revealed that he never planned on ever joining the team in the first place. “Honestly, I wouldn’t be on the team if it weren’t for Mr. Martin, because I never actually planned on being on the basketball team,” Washington said. “But one day I went to Mr. Martin to get him to sign my year book and after having a conversation he gave me the opportunity to try out even though try outs were over. I took the opportunity because I still needed the PE credit, and I just didn’t want to pass up the sort of once in a lifetime opportunity.”
Senior Jason Carrillo was also new to organized basketball. “My first experience going against a team was during our pre-season in Fall Lake and I was very nervous because I wasn’t used to playing in front of a crowd, and it didn’t help that the team was double our size,” he said. These players knew that they had a dream and an opportunity to become better and to find new experiences for them and for others. They came into this team looking to find a place to compete and to grow and that is what this season is about: to grow and to become faster and stronger for this upcoming season.
During this upcoming season, players hope to win a tournament and support their team in any way. 11th-grader Alejandro Tovar said, “I hope to achieve being able to support others in their sense of the game to understand what possibilities are possible.”
Carrillo stated,”I hope to be able to be remembered by the team, I want to make an impact on the memory of KAC basketball and the players that are coming in the future.”
He continued, “My goal is to win at least half our games, and be able to teach my teammates while playing those games, hopefully be able to make it far in the playoffs, and be able to push through to get a state championship.”
11th-grader Emmanuel Nuñez said his goal for this year is “To be able to make a lot of points and build a better relationship with the people on the team.”
Washington summed up all of their goals, saying, “I hope that the year goes good, and there’s little to no regret, and if you’re presented with a once in a lifetime opportunity like I was, you should take it. Because sure, you might realize later on that it’s not really something you want to do, but it’s better than not taking the opportunity and then regretting it.”
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