Basketball players rebound from injuries

Lauren Saxon • November 5, 2013

The hoops have finally been lowered in the gyms, portending the start of the 2013-2014 basketball season. Both the boys and girls teams have been conditioning incessantly throughout the preseason in preparation for upcoming tryouts.

“I’m really excited and can’t wait to see how the season plays out,” said Taylor Miller, 10.

Each team maintains high goals and expectations; however, several preseason injuries have occurred in both the boys and girls basketball programs. These injuries have significantly affected not only team progress, but individual improvement as well.

Matthew Green, 11, is currently battling a severe wrist injury. In addition to Green, projected Varsity starter Jalen Shropshire, 11, is suffering an intense ankle sprain.

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Driving to the basket, Jalen Shropshire, 11, tries to get the rim in a game against Mason last season. Shropshire is currently suffering an extreme ankle sprain, but hopes to be cleared to play by tryouts in early November. As defending GMC champions, the boys Varsity basketball team has very high expectations to meet. Photo courtesy McDaniel’s Photography. — Driving to the basket, **Jalen Shropshire**, 11, tries to get the rim in a game against Mason last season. Shropshire is currently suffering an extreme ankle sprain, but hopes to be cleared to play by tryouts in early November. As defending GMC champions, the boys Varsity basketball team has very high expectations to meet.
Photo courtesy McDaniel’s Photography.

“Our team motto this year is ‘Rise Up’ so hopefully we will be able to do just that and defend our GMC title,” said Green.

The girls team has also had their fair share of injuries, with numerous concussions plauging last year’s JV athletes.

“Having a concussion is very frustrating because I’m not able to work out and get ready with the team,” said Haley Rayburn, 10.

Returning varsity player Nancie Hunter, 11, is also coming off of a reoccurring foot injury, but is slowly returning to contact play.

Despite these injury setbacks, all the basketball players continue to anticipate and work for the upcoming tryouts; the boys on Nov. 1and the girls on Oct. 25.

For more information on basketball tryouts contact:

mossd@sycamoreschools.org (Boys Basketball)

christersond@sycamoreschools.org (Girls Basketball)

About the Contributor

Lauren Saxon, Print Editor-In-Chief

I’m a senior at SHS. This year, I’ll be working as The Leaf magazine’s editor-in-chief. After four years on staff, I have learned a tremendous amount about writing, design and leadership. Some of my interests include sports, Spanish language and culture and reading. My iPhone is full of songs by Drake, Beyoncé and Ed Sheeran, and my room also doubles as my own library stacked with books written by Sharon Draper, Maya Angelou and Ernest Hemingway. I play Girls Varsity Basketball for my school, and I am a die-hard Philadelphia Eagles fan. Journalism has always been my favorite class, and although I plan on studying engineering in college, I hope to continue my passion for writing and designing after my time here at SHS. Reflecting on my high school career, joining journalism was the best decision I have ever made. During my last year on staff, I am excited to continue to serve as the voice of the student body and will cherish all the knowledge and friendships I gained from Journalism (Convergence).