On the evening of Saturday, January 6th, the Lake Central boys JV basketball team experienced a loss against the Harrison Raiders from West Lafayette, Indiana. After a close battle for the winning point the game ended with a final score of 46-45, proving that neither team was going down without a fight. Leading up to this day, a competitive game was anticipated, given the Raider’s overall score throughout their season. Leading up to the final moments of the game with only one point to spare is acknowledged to have increased the pressure on the players from both teams.
“Whenever I walk on the court, I feel like my confidence goes up. Defense is my strong point and I try to lock down whoever I guard. While playing, I just try to stay locked in mentally and leave out any distractions. During a close game, I just try to stay calm and motivate my teammates to stay locked in. Even if my offense isn’t doing good, I try to not let the other team get looks at the basket during a close game. When my team is down, I just try to stay positive and let my team know that anything is possible if we all just play together,” Cooper Kroncke (10) said.
Throughout the game each player has their own strengths and weaknesses on the court. While the game is taking place, some players may stand out to the audience due to their skills. When asking one player what he thinks his own personal strategies are that he uses on the courts, he talks about his ability to take on challenging shots. He believes it is all about taking new opportunities, making difficult decisions in a short amount of time, and focusing on what the next play will be.
“The skills that I think set me apart from other players is my ability to create a shot and make shots that are particularly tough to make, and have the confidence to make them. I also have a short memory of the game so if I miss a shot, it is always the next play to get it back and move forward,” Manny Paniagua (12) said.
