As the fall sports season comes to a close, students look for a new team to go out and support. Boys varsity basketball is certainlly heating things up. They are coming off of a very successful season, finishing 18-10 clinching the District Runner-up. The boys and Coach David Davis hope to repeat and possibly do even better this season.
“This season should be interesting,” said Davis. “The other schools in our district have so many new players that we have not seen.”
Davis is right, but Trinity Prep is no exception. After losing Omari Davis and Brian Mayer to graduation, the team is in for some new changes.
Seniors Mitchell Lamoriello, Eric Kowaleski, Nick Kaminski, Jason Toye, and Christian Funk are the new leaders of the team, all of whom are optimistic about the season ahead.
Funk is confident that the team’s hard work during the off season will help the boys toward their third District Championship
The boys will have to adjust without center Eric Kowaleski. He injured his knee playing in the final football game of the season and is out indefinitely.
The new players will have to rise to the task this season. Davis says that Junior TJ Amalbert will step in as a starter. Davis also add that starting is not important. “Starting the game is not as nearly as important as being on the court at the end of the game,” said Davis. “If someone complains about starting, I will start them and as soon as game is started, take them out. That allows them to see that starting is not important.”
Along with being a major contributor on the court, Amalbert also has an important responsibility before games. Last year, Ian Malone led the team in a pre-game rap. Due to Malone graduating, Amalbert will now get to lead the team in their pre-game tradition.
Fans can expect high energy from the Saints, as they will be running a fast break offense and a man to man defense. Davis adds that they will be adding in the Princeton offense which emphasizes quick motion, lots of passing, pick on and off the ball, and disciplined teamwork.
This strategy was successful in the preseason using this new offense. Captains Lamoriello, Toye and Funk helped capture two victories over class 8A schools. This is no small feat for our 3A school, but it just goes to show how bright the road ahead is.
The word of the year for basketball is new. Whether it is the new schedule, the new players, or the new pre-game rapper, the varsity basketball players can not get enough new.
