Fords Basketball is young and hungry, but the team is also contending with injuries to two key players, Fifth Former Duke Cloran and Fourth Former Emmanuel Butts. With Inter-Ac play set to kick off on January 5, the team hopes to figure out its identity without two of its stars.
In the wake of these injuries, other players will have to step into a larger role on the floor.
“I think they’re doing a good job,” Head Coach Mr. Bernie Rogers said. “It kind of changes who you are as a team a little bit, so we’re trying to find different roles for guys, and trying to figure out what’s the best way to play for the guys who are healthy. It’ll probably be a learning process through the preseason to figure it out.”
Two players who will help carry the load are Fifth Formers Jacob and Leo Becker, who transferred to the school this year.
“They’re really unselfish; they’re great guys,” Coach Rogers said. “We’re just kind of throwing a lot at them, and I think they will get better and better as the season goes on.”
“We’re not always on the floor at the same time, but when we are, I feel like there’s a sort of connection—if I grab the rebound, I know where he is, I know where to look up, I know where to get him the ball.”
Leo Becker ’25
The Beckers are talented players in their own right, but their experience of playing together provides valuable on-court chemistry.
“I think we’ve always had that chemistry on the floor, knowing where the other is,” Leo Becker said. “We’re not always on the floor at the same time, but when we are, I feel like there’s a sort of connection—if I grab the rebound, I know where he is, I know where to look up, I know where to get him the ball.”
The Beckers know they play well together. They have also clicked with their new teammates and coaches.
“I feel like so far, the team’s been very accepting,” Jacob Becker said. “The coaches have been very helpful in learning the offense, defense, all the parts to being in the team, and I feel like they’ve really put us in a great spot to excel and have been very supportive throughout the whole process.”
As the winter sports season hits its stride, the community will get to see more of the two new stars on the floor.
“We’ve definitely formed more relationships with many people in the school through basketball,” Jacob said.
The team has set high expectations for the season, but they are still trying to approach the process day by day.
“Obviously, the end goal is to win the Inter-Ac and eventually the state championship, but we’re just in the gym every day trying to get better,” Leo said. “There’s definitely some tough competition in the Inter-Ac, but we’ve just got to go game by game and work towards the championship.”
The future is bright for Fords basketball. Despite their youth, the group is determined to win.
“As we know, we have a lot of potential for next year too,” Jacob Becker said, “but we want to see what we can do with the talent we have now.”
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