As the ball arcs downward and ricochets off of the rim, senior Brandon Reeves catches it with two hands in mid-air, throws the ball through the net and pulls the rim down with all of the weight in his body. Head Boys’ Basketball Coach Cornelius Mitchell then blows his whistle and waves his arms signaling the excited players to huddle near midcourt to end the period.
A new staff of basketball coaches were hired during the summer to fill in for former coaches Marchie Murdock, Robert Young and Bryan Dibley. Varsity Assistant Coach Chris Hudson and JV Coach Terrance McCloud will accompany Coach Mitchell for the 2016-2017 basketball season starting on Nov. 5, and look forward to working with their new players.
“We have spent a lot of time just watching our team in different situations. Our goal is we really want to get to know our team,” Coach Mitchell said. “We want to make sure we are putting guys in the right situation to be successful, and a big part of that is getting to know our team.”
Legacy Basketball began training on Aug. 23 and participated in fall leagues throughout September and the first week of October.
“We spend time watching them and evaluate their performance in the weight room, on the track, in the gym, in the hallways and in leagues,” Coach Mitchell said.
While the coaches got a chance to evaluate the players, the players also got a chance to see each other before the real season. These games allowed the players to showcase their skills and for the team to build chemistry.
“We got to see each other play a little bit before the real season, so we got a feel for how everyone likes to play,” Reeves said. “Coach can take that and work with us to get us to be able to work together before the season.”
Coach Mitchell strongly believes in the idea of relentless effort, so these beliefs will help the team work together.
“We’re looking forward to watching our student-athletes grow,” Coach Mitchell said. “Everyone has to make a relentless effort to get better each day and I am really going to enjoy watching how that evolves over the season.”
The players have already displayed signs of confidence boost on and off of the court. Before every basketball period, the team has study hall where the coaches give lessons and assignments to the players aimed toward character development.
“I think the biggest improvement has been their confidence,” Coach Mitchell said. “There is a big difference between having confidence and playing with confidence, and I really think that is an area that has improved since August.”
Along with confidence, Coach Mitchell knows energy and passion will intensify workouts, drills and other aspects of the game which makes programs successful.
“I think we will bring a level of energy and passion,” Coach Mitchell said. “I love being in the gym and I think that’s a big thing with successful programs today. You have to want to be in the gym with your athletes.”
In order to bring high levels of energy and passion to workouts, the seniors must be the main ones leading the team and setting the tone.
“I’m trying to improve, get better every day, be the best that I can be, be the best teammate and leader I can be,” Reeves said.
Brandon and his teammates will continue to give relentless effort and plan to go where Legacy basketball has not gone before.
“I want to do everything that I have not been able to do for a long time since it’s my senior year,” Reeves said. “I’m going to go out with a bang, and do everything that I used to be scared to do and just enjoy my senior year.”
The coaching staff wants to define the program on having its players become better people, not just better players.
“Our ultimate goal is to work as hard as we can to make this experience for our program and all supporters and rewarding as we can possibly make it,” Coach Mitchell said. “We want our athletes to be better people because of their commitment to our program.”
