As fall sports come to an end and winter sports begin, boys basketball is getting fired up for their upcoming season. Boys basketball is one of UC High’s most popular winter sports due to the energy they bring to the gym.
The team has been doing lots of preparation during the off season. “We’ve been doing a lot of early morning workouts along with a ton of scrimmages during summer and fall,” said Three Year Varsity Basketball Player Junior Mathias Baluyot.
Preparation for this year’s season has been treated like no other. Star Player and Junior Jeein Kim said, “Our team has been practicing together multiple times a week in order to prepare ourselves for the season. We have been going to tournaments and scrimmages against other schools in order to get game-like reps. We also compete against each other during practice multiple times a week, which has been helping us get better individually and as a team.”
Having set goals for the season is important because they give players motivation to keep working as hard as they can. “Some goals we have as a team for this year are to make it far into the Division One playoffs. We are also in a competitive League, so we hope to prove ourselves by winning games and having impactful plays,” said Kim.
Having a coach who cares about self improvement as well as team improvement is a great thing to have while playing high school sports. Coach Clyde Harris said, “This year, my expectation is to get the players ready for the next level, making sure their mindset is focusing on getting better as a team as well as an individual is a priority.”
More of the team’s goals include connecting and developing with each other. “Honestly, our goals are to develop as much as we can, chemistry and team wise. Since we’re a young team, we’re going to go through a lot of hardships, but all the work will definitely lead to a CIF title next year,” said Baluyot.
A hardworking team is key to having a successful season and this is exactly what the UC High’s Boy’s Basketball Team is. “One of our strongest points is that we are hardworking. We work as hard as we can anytime we are in the gym, whether we are just shooting or scrimmaging,” said Kim.
Kim said, “I have been working hard all throughout the off-season to get better and prepare myself for this upcoming season. It is a big year, not just for me but for the team, so we hope to have success on the court.” Kim’s hard work is evident through his success so far this season as he leads the team scoring the most points per game.
Making sure players are able to keep themselves motivated through the long season is important. “We keep the players motivated by encouraging them and helping them reach their goals as well as consistently giving them life skills. The reason for that is to let them know that it’s not always possible that everyone will be playing college basketball. So we give them life skills so they can be prepared,” said Harris.
Having standout players who double up as leaders are important for a team’s dynamic. Harris named Senior CyRell Harris, Junior Mathias Bauylot, and Junior Kim as key players to watch this year.
Last year the team lost some very valuable players, but there is no doubt that the returners have stepped up. “All returning players have stepped up into leadership roles. They all take turns as far as getting stretching done and getting ready for warmups.”