Caldwell, who made his identify within the D.C. space throughout his lengthy tenure because the coach at Riverdale Baptist, gained a Geico nationwide championship in his second season at New Hope. However that's not the expertise he's leaned on this season as he will get issues stepping into Shabach. He mirrored extra on his first season at New Hope, when three of his gamers tore their ACLs and he completed with the worst single-season report of his teaching profession.
“Regardless of the place you go, your first 12 months is your first 12 months. And the one benefit of it’s you by no means must expertise it once more,” Caldwell mentioned. “However I really feel joyful right here as a result of I've had the most effective help I've ever had.
Shabach is the academic arm of Caldwell Church, First Baptist Church in Glenarden. When the church determined to spend money on the basketball program, Caldwell jumped on the likelihood and held his first group exercise in July. The roster was a mixture of New Hope holdovers, women he knew from AAU basketball, and some long-distance transfers. The group is led by senior Laila Reynolds, a five-star commit from Florida who performed for Caldwell all 4 years.
“When you will have a basis like that in this system, it makes it a bit of simpler to herald new children,” Caldwell mentioned. “However we are able to't take everybody, that's clear. We’re in search of sure forms of kids. We don't want one other Laila Reynolds; we're in search of somebody to play together with her.”
The No. 4 Eagles are 17-5 with a number of weeks left within the common season. Within the postseason, they’ll compete for the Nationwide Affiliation of Christian Athletes match title and hope for an invitation to the Geico Nationals.
Gaithersburg guard wholesome, thriving
Solomon Mensah's Hyundai Sonata was treading on a seaplane when he slammed on the brakes to keep away from a bus that stopped all of a sudden in entrance of him.
The Gaithersburg boys basketball guard misplaced management of his automobile and crashed into the again of a bus, fully destroying his car. Mensah emerged from the December wreckage, clutching his left wrist and with chest ache.
The senior didn't inform his coach at first. With three days left till the season opener, he didn't wish to danger dropping the sport. He performed tentatively in opposition to Churchill, apprehensive about one other harm, and scored simply two factors in a loss to the Trojans (12-2).
“I believed every little thing by way of,” Mensah mentioned. “Simply fixed ideas in my head, like, 'Oh, you're going to harm your self.' … So I simply tried to cross the ball quite a bit.”
Just a few days later, he instructed coach Jeff Maintain.
“I felt like I let my teammates down and I let my coach down,” Mensah mentioned. “In a means, telling my coach about what occurred took numerous stress off my shoulders.
Mensah performed higher as he acquired farther from the accident. Holda known as the Dec. 13 sport in opposition to Blair the sport by which Mensah “seemed like who we have been hoping for” after a robust preseason.
However Mensah left the sport in the course of the second quarter with a sprained left ankle and sat out the subsequent 4 video games, together with Gaithersburg's three-point loss to Parkville within the Governors Problem. When compelled to the bench, he remained particularly engaged, incomes the nickname “Coach Solo” from his teammates.
“I'm simply making an attempt to maintain the power up and ensure everyone's on the fitting web page,” he mentioned. “Once we watch movie, you may see me hopping on my proper leg as a result of I used to be so excited.
Mensah, who Holda mentioned may very well be the group's greatest participant on any given evening, returned on Jan. 3 in opposition to Clarksburg. Eight days later, he scored 24 factors in a three-point win for the Trojans.
Gamers of the week
Margad Choijilsuren, Fairfax: Groups are working out of solutions for the all-around senior, whose 25-point outing in Tuesday's comeback win over Alexandria Metropolis propelled his Lions to the highest of the Patriot District.
Nala Abraham, Gwynn Park: The junior had 17 factors, 19 rebounds, seven blocks and two assists within the Clippers' 52-29 win over Douglass on Thursday.
Donnie Freeman, St. John's: The versatile junior stepped up for the Cadets in an enormous means Saturday in opposition to Springside Chestnut Hill in Philadelphia on the Capitol Hoops Problem. Freeman scored 26 factors and grabbed eight rebounds in a 67-53 win.
Mina Hashemzadeh, Seneca Valley: The sophomore paced Watkins Mill by herself in a 26-point efficiency Friday.
Video games to observe
Gwynn Park Ladies in Oxon HillTuesday, 6 p.m
Hammond women in River Hill, Wednesday, 5:30 p.m
Tuscarora Boys in Loudoun CountyFriday, 6 p.m
Paul VI boys at GonzagaFriday, 7:30 p.m
Osbourn Park will get a jolt from the freshmen
Enjoying for Osbourn Park is hard. Practices are lengthy, requirements are excessive, and after Virginia Class 6 championship losses in 2021 and 2022, outdoors stress is inevitable.
Internally, although, Osbourn Park's three seniors entered the season most curious in regards to the make-up of their roster. At first, they have been shocked to be taught that six freshmen had made the reduce in tryouts. The shock continued as a number of of them started to get important taking part in time, one thing not one of the three seniors did of their first 12 months beneath coach Chrissy Kelly.
The largest reveal, although? There was no purpose to complain. These new Yellowjackets may bounce.
“These are probably the most proficient freshmen I've ever had,” senior Alana Powell mentioned. “As a freshman, this shouldn't be. [same level of] the urgency you will have as a senior. However they go in and provides us every little thing. These children are robust.”
The season got here with its bumps, as most groups with a big group of underclassmen would possibly count on. Nevertheless it was a welcome expertise. Their abilities as playmakers and defenders match properly into the No. 15 Yellowjackets' scheme. And the seniors loved taking on the captaincy duties, even when it meant being the “unhealthy guys” at instances.
In final week's 56-44 win over the Patriots, the seniors noticed a shift of their teammates. In contrast to the season-opening loss to the Pioneers, there was a calculated aggression not often seen in youthful gamers.
“They're going from taking part in in opposition to 12- and 13-year-olds to 17-year-olds, so yeah, it was a problem at first,” senior Kori Cole mentioned. “However they grew up rapidly in a basketball sense.
As for stress? Regardless of demanding practices, it’s virtually non-existent.
“Individuals have excessive expectations for us,” senior Danielle Darfour mentioned. “We don't take it as stress. We do it for ourselves.”
Bard will journey (and win) anyplace
As the ultimate seconds ticked away, the 25 or so Bard followers who attended the Falcons' 69-63 victory did their greatest to make Coolidge Excessive really feel at dwelling. Bard, a public constitution highschool in Southeast Washington, has no fitness center and has realized to cherish the few uncommon moments when the sound of its followers fills one other college's fitness center and the Falcons declare one other victory.
Regardless of the dearth of dwelling courtroom benefit, second-year coach Malcolm Battle led this system to a mixed 29-18 report, together with an look within the DC State Athletic Affiliation A Division title sport final season.
“Individuals all the time ask me how we did it with all of the issues working in opposition to us, and I simply level again to the youngsters,” Battle mentioned. “These children have each purpose to whine and complain about issues we don't have, however they select to maintain displaying up and rolling with their fists.”
Along with taking part in all of his video games on the highway, Bard (15-5) has been bouncing round completely different recreation facilities round city in search of house to run his practices. When the varsity opened in 2019, it operated out of what was previously generally known as Davis Elementary College, which doesn’t have a fitness center.
The Falcons have been compelled to make use of the subway, stroll or Uber to no matter fitness center Battle, who can also be the athletic director, may organize for the day. It decreased the time the group needed to apply.
“It's been fairly tough the final two years,” senior Damari Thompson mentioned. “We all the time attempt to preserve grinding regardless of the place we get to coaching or taking part in as a result of there's all the time going to be some adversity you need to face in life and you may't stop simply because issues get uncomfortable.” However however, you see how the opposite faculties on the town are doing and also you simply hope and pray in your head that in the future we are able to get nearer to one thing.”
This month, Thompson's prayers have been answered when Bard moved into a brand new constructing situated throughout the road from the Congress Heights subway station. The power has a fitness center {and gymnasium} for the group to make use of.
Since relocating, the Falcons have gained eight of their final 9 video games and seem like contenders for the DC Interscholastic Athletic Affiliation title.
“Having a constant fitness center to work out in has been wonderful,” Thompson mentioned. “As a substitute of excited about the place we're going to apply day by day, we are able to absolutely deal with going to a different college's home and successful.”