This year at FHC, the Blythefield Basketball Association has taken students’ interests by storm. The BBA is a Rockford church basketball league where juniors and seniors from around the area can participate in a competitive league with their friends and hopefully take home a championship.

From FHC, there are already numerous BBA teams that have participated this season. On top of that, there’s already talk from sophomores about making teams next year. This buzz around this relatively new basketball league is primarily thanks to this year’s seniors. One of the senior teams from FHC that participated in the BBA this year was the Goldfish.

Player Personnel:

 

• Quentin Rudolph PG/SG

First up on the roster is Quentin Rudolph. One of the main things the Goldfish are known for doing is full-court pressing all game, every game. As one of two captains on the court for the Goldfish, Quentin is perfect on the defensive press, with his speed and court awareness keeping him one step ahead of his opponents.

 

• Varun Ram PG/SG

Varun is a key role player on the team, specializing in finding the open shot. When he isn’t on the court, he is on the bench helping the coaching staff out and keeping his teammates hyped up.

“It was great being able to play with all of our friends on the same team again.”

 

•  John Tomshek SG/SF

Serving as the team’s other captain, John is the team’s most well-rounded player, averaging 13 points per game during the early games of the season, along with 3.5 assists per game and 2.5 steals per game.

 

• Hunter Robinson PF/C

Hunter is by far the team’s most dominant big man. Matching up to every other team’s big man, he is heavily relied on defensively. On offense, however, he gained more and more skill at controlling the ball inside. His jump shot has also been reliable during key moments in games.

 

• Matthew Mittelstadt SG/SF

Matthew has been the most lethal player on the team throughout the season, as he has the most accurate shot on the team and a keen ability to drive towards the hoop and finish. He averaged over 20 points per game, contending for League Leader in Points during multiple points in the season.

“It was fun because it got all of our friends together and got us a final chance to play together.”

 

• Louis Craffey SF/PF

When Louis is playing power forward, he is easily the most lethal big man shooter on the team. However, when he is playing small forward, he is always right in the center of the play, either slashing towards the hoop or finding the open man. During a 56-31 win during the season, Louis dropped 12 points in his most dominant game with the Goldfish.

“Most of the games we played were really competitive, and when we were playing against some of our own classmates, it made it even more competitive.”

 

• Joe Murdock PG/SG

Joe is the Goldfish’s starting point guard. Responsible for setting the tempo for the offense and trapping the opponent in a press on defense, he may not fill the stat sheet; however, he makes a more significant difference on the court than what the numbers say.

 

• Mackinley Boike PF/C

Nicknamed “Kareem Abdul JaBoike,” Mac’s aggressive approach to defense paved the way for the Goldfish to run away with almost every game. On offense, he was just as electric. The occasional three-pointer from him was enough to energize the entire team five times over.

 

• Grayson Minard PF/C

Grayson brought strength to the defense down low, allowing the Goldfish to win the turnover battle almost every game. On offense, he was able to make room for himself wherever he was on the court. His long-range shots were mainly consistent, and he averaged 7 points per game and a solid 4 rebounds.

The Goldfish finished the regular season 6-1 and entered the playoffs as the one seed in the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately for Goldfish’s players, they fell to the eventual champion of the whole league, Team Smoke. The season didn’t end in a championship for them, but they all had fun together and had a great time overall.

“It was sad that the season ended earlier than we wanted, but everyone had fun playing basketball with each other the past couple of months,” head coach Cole Miller said.