A mural on a wall outside the Lake Clifton gymnasium reads: “The Sky is the Limit.”
Those words speak the truth for the No. 4 Lakers boys basketball team, which, heading into Wednesday night?s game with Walbrook, was 18-1 and riding a 16-game winning streak.
But the Lakers aren?t talking about the streak. They?re focused on winningas a team – a stark contrast from last season, when Lake Clifton ended the season 18-5 with a 3A North region semifinal loss to Mervo.
“The chemistry is much better,” Lakers coach Herman “Tree” Harried said. “The camaraderie; there are no individuals. The guys are just trying to win. They?re happy for other people when they do well.”
There is no true standout for the Lakers this season. Four players are averaging double-digits in points, led by guards Darrius Gilmore (14 points, 7.5 assists per game) and Antoine Allen (14.5 points, 7 rebounds per game).
“We?re just spread out,” Harried said. “I?ve had guys who have 20-point games, but nobody is averaging 20 points. You have to prepare for the entire group.”
The players like it that way, too. Harried said none of them want any individual publicity ? it?s all about the team.
“Everybody is averaging about the same,” 6-foot-6 senior forward Daniel Horton said. “There are too many weapons.”
Horton, who never played organized basketball until high school, is averaging eight points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers. Much of the credit for the team?s success, Horton said, goes to Harried ? who played college basketball at Syracuse.
“He?s more than a coach. A lot more,” Horton said. “Personally, I don?t have a father figure in my life at home. The way he teaches, he knows how to criticize and get you better at the same time.”
Junior guard Jason Sharp said Harried “does it all.”
Harried deserves credit for keeping the students in-line, making them sign-in every morning, and checking up on their grades constantly. The rest of the credit goes to the team?s work ethic.
The fuel for that work ethic comes from the Lakers? classmates, who constantly remind them of last season?s shortcomings.
“The teachers are proud of us. But the students call us bums,” junior guard Jason Sharp said. “That?s because of the school history. We tell them to come to games and they?ll see.”
The Lakers offense fell apart in the 3A Region semifinal last March, when Mervo won, 36-35, in overtime.
“We don?t want to be like last year,” Sharp said. “Last year, we had it all and we threw it away. We?re not going to do that this year.”
