YABC Basketball 2011-2012

?Were not just about Hoops?

By Francisco Rivera

In its third year of existence, the YABC Boy?s basketball team has grown in many ways since its inception in 2009. While winning a majority of its games during those three seasons, the goal of YABC is to assist the young men in getting their degrees or GED and sending them into the real world prepared for either College or the Job market.

Site administrator Martin Smallhorne has done a wonderful job at helping host in house tournaments as well as providing the boys with full uniforms, equipment and team gym bags. Mr. Smallhorne added this about the Boy?s Basketball program, ?Our Scholar athletes understand that if they can?t perform in the classroom, they will not be allowed to perform on the court.? Education is always first.?

The 2011-2012 team consists of 12-14 boys with a common goal and that is to win the YABC basketball championship that eluded them last year as they lost to Thomas Jefferson HS in Brooklyn in the semi finals. Coach Rivera states, ?We have a hard working group of young men that need to be fine tuned and understand what we have put together as the game plan for the season. We have a great opportunity to go very far in this year?s tournament as long as they learn to play their roles and stay focused both on the court and in the classroom.?

The team’s assistant coach is Osmond Wilson who is in his second year in that role. Assistant coach Wilson says “The team is motivated academically which in turn motivates their play on the court“. The current team is 1-0 after beating Grace Dodge High School and things are looking very bright. The games high scorer was shooting guard Dylan McCalla, who led the team with 21 points and five assists. Not only is the team doing well on the hardwood but also their work in the classroom has been praiseworthy so far this year. The current team has an average of 80.25% with a high grade of 97%. Will Laboy hold?s the team high grade of 97%. The 6?4? starting center has found success both on the court and the classroom. ?Laboy seemed extremely proud after finding out he was the team?s highest scoring student adding, ?I feel honored and blessed to have the highest grade on the team. I mean, a few weeks ago I really showed up to school and now that I?m on top of that, that showed me that I can always be on top if I put my mind to it and stay focused.?

The team?s current roster consists of Will Laboy, Edwin Pena, Saulo Acosta, Roydell Morris, Zahbre Farmer, James Barry, Kris Cabrera, Shaquille Scott, Isiah Arnold,?Kwabena ? Lefty? Adjei, Louis Sanchez, Jarrod Davidson, Robert Williams and Francisco Vasquez. The team statisticians and managers are Jasmine Shirley and Barbara Vizcarrondo.

Let?s go Lehman YABC Lions!!!