It’s that time of year again where West gets riled up about the success of our basketball teams. Both the girls’ and boys’ teams have had their tryouts and first games.
Although the boy’s basketball team has had some unfortunate losses, they are optimistic about their success. Tryouts ended this season with 12 boys on the roster. With the loss of Jeremy and Jeremiah Fears, some have wondered how the season this year would play out. Head basketball coach, Coach Kreiger, stated that the basketball program has “more to prove” but “in terms of success, talent, and hardworking young men,” are still the same team they were before. The boys starting team is led by varsity senior, Justus McNair, who recently committed to Valparaiso University for his future basketball career.
There is excitement surrounding the girl’s basketball team this season. The girls’ team has everything they need to achieve success, but they could use some fine tuning. The girls went into their first game with no particular expectations from Head Coach Blackmon, and she stated that she just wanted to see how well the girls “executed the game of basketball.” When asked if there were any specific areas the girls could improve at this season, Coach Blackmon expressed that their confidence, performance, and hussle were the main areas. The girls’ starting team features seniors Maziah Shelton, Brooke Schwall, Alaya Redditt, Christina Keoborakot, and Junior Makayla Chism. Finally, Coach Blackmon voiced that her “main goal is to finish what they started in year one.”
Starting varsity Senior Maziah Shelton had lots to say regarding her feelings about the West basketball program. She expressed her love for the program and stated she wouldn’t have rather put her 4 years anywhere else other than West, and that it “doesn’t get better than this school.” Shelton vocalized that the program at West has taught her to be accountable, take more responsibility, leadership, and patience. She left with the remark that “if you love it, go for it and don’t care what nobody has to say about it.”
It has always been clear that the basketball program at West features lots of talent and both the boys’ and girls’ teams have the ability to achieve their goals. The 2023-24 season will not fail to make the West community proud.