Hopewell basketball continues to be successful
Team: Pictured are the athletes, coaches and cheerleaders involved with Hopewell basketball for the 2015-2016 season. Hopewell once again had enough athletes to field two teams and a skills team. Photo contributed to The Beacon
COSHOCTON – The key to Hopewell’s basketball success is the people involved with the program.
“The coaches of each team help each other out and so do the players and the younger ones come up through the program so it just keeps building,” said Toby Collins, recreation director.
There are four cheerleaders and 37 athletes representing Hopewell basketball this year on two teams and a group competing in skills competitions.
“You can start playing as young as 8-years-old and they usually start with the skills team and work their way up,” Collins said. “We mix our rosters though because everyone wants to play at home in front of family and friends. We have young kids playing on adult teams and it works for us.”
Last year, Hopewell’s black team won the Division II State Title, the red team took third place in Division V and the skills team competed at state with three people winning gold and three taking home silver. They have high hopes to bring home another round of honors even though both teams moved up a division, but the season isn’t just about winning games and competitions.
“They learn a lot about respect for themselves, their teammates and their coaches, to trust and about work ethic,” Collins said. “They also learn how to handle adversity. If a play doesn’t work they try another one or if they lose they work on getting better for next time.”
The Division I team will hit the tournament trail the weekend of Feb. 20-21 and Division IV tournament action takes place Feb. 27-28. Leading scorers for the Division I/ black team are Tanner Schie, Josh Noe and Jalen Berry. Division V/red team leaders are Hugh Hart, Dakota Mobley and Hunter Markley.
You can catch Hopewell in action at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16 at Hopewell School.
josie@coshoctoncountybeacon.com
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