![Colin McRaven ('24) prepares to pitch the ball to an Anclote batter during the Varsity pre-season game."I like striking people out, since it's fun. The game against Anclote was pretty easy because they were less talented than our team and [I think] we were better than them in every aspect," Colin McRaven ('24) said.](https://jwmhshoofbeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/IMG_1538-1200x928.jpg)
Take your positions
Like pieces of a puzzle, each player in the varsity basketball team plays a role in getting points and defeating their opponents at their opening season games.
Coach Jason Vetter and his players gather up in a circle to encourage and inform the players of upcoming games and events. After finishing his talk with the team, they gathered into two groups and started their practice for their upcoming game of the season on Nov. 30.
January 12, 2022
Wednesday night, Dec. 1, the boys’ varsity basketball team play their second game of the season at Gulf High School. They took the win with a score 91-84. During the game 63 fouls, combined from both teams were called, most of them taking place is 3rd and 4th quarter. The game that opened the season on Nov. 30 at Oldsmar Cristian High School was a loss with a score of 51-82.
After the first game of the season’s outcome, Alec Hilliard (‘22) made it up by scoring 29 points during Wednesday’s game, Hilliard scored the most of his points during the 4th quarter when fighting the clock. Hilliard has now been playing basketball for 6 years and had expressed his feelings about the game and when scoring the points.
“The intensity [of the game} and how we pull through challenges is my favorite part,” Hilliard said.
Willaim Ruffin (‘24) plays the position point guard, during Wednesday’s game he scored 12 points and had about 12 minutes on the court. Ruffin ran the offense and stole the ball to score.
“My role contributes to the game a lot, it’s like the quarterback to the basketball team,” Ruffin said.
One of the starters, Tyler Knight (‘22), takes the position center. On Wednesday night he, when on defense, blocked his opponent’s shots and rebounded misses.
“I set the score for my teammates and get them rebounds,” Knight said.
Since the middle of the summer vacation the team started up voluntary practice but once the school year started, they got serious. They have 23 games and three tournaments scheduled for this year’s season. On Dec. 3 they faced off against East Lake High School for their home opener, Hilliard led the team to a victory.
