Basketball Season Preview

Juniors Drive Team To Shoot For the Stars

This season the boys’ team is carrying 15 players on its roster, three more than a normal team. “We are a very deep team this year and it’s one of our strengths,” junior Grant Kersey said.

Last season the boys went 18-7 overall, and 10-4 in the District. With only seven returning players and one senior the junior class heavily represents with 11 on the roster. There are also two sophomores and one freshman that round out the 15.

“With only one senior I’m trying more to step more into a leadership role” sophomore forward Austin Katstra said. Katstra was a rising star as a freshman with 355 points on the season.

Katstra is one of three returning players that averaged at least 10 points per game, sophomore Jake Hann and senior Juwan Carter are the other two.

In their first game of the season the boys’ team defeated Fluvanna 70-49. Katstra scored 17 points and nine rebounds on the night.

Kersey came into the season with a broken collar bone. “Even though I couldn’t play at first I still hung out with everyone to build unity and learn the plays.” To keep up the team chemistry off the court, the team has dinners together throughout the season.

As of Dec. 11 the boys were 3-0, winning each game by a margin at least 12 points.

 Barbour Leads Young Team, Looks To Break Scoring Record

“We’ve got a really young team this year, but we’re really closely knit,” senior guard KK Barbour said.

Having only three seniors many of the underclassman are stepping up. “The seniors last year made a huge impact… this year we have a lot of sophomores stepping up” junior Brooke McAllister said.

In order to promote this type of spirit throughout the team the girls will each lunch together every Thursday during CHAT.

“It’s always a challenge to find team chemistry at first, which is why we’re trying something new,” Barbour said.

Barbour will play basketball next year for Liberty University. “Knowing I am going somewhere to play basketball I can’t just settle and play down, I have to play better,” Barbour said.

The girls won their first home game 56-51 against Fluvanna, with Barbour scoring 19 points and grabbing 14 rebounds.

Last season Barbour scored her 1000th point while away at WAHS in front of a large student section. This season Barbour is on track to beat the all time girls scoring record at AHS.

As of Dec. 11 the girls were 1-0 with their victory over the Flucos.

This story originally appeared on pg. 10 of the Dec. 18 print edition.