Basketball Feature: McClain Tigers
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
The leadership from the McClain Tigers boys basketball team will come from three players who are returning from seasons that have put them in this position for the 2013-14 campaign.
Seniors Thomas Schrader and Evan Mustard, along with junior Ryan Faulconer, already have eight years of combined varsity experience (not counting this upcoming season), as they all were members of the varsity squad their respective freshman seasons.
All three players, who began their playing days in the youth programs of Greenfield, have a common goal for the Tigers program this season, and that is to get the program back on track to where it customarily was in past years.
Before this year begins, all three looked back at when they first began playing for the Tigers as freshmen at the varsity level.
"My freshman year, I had to battle with a lot of seniors that year," Schrader said. "I wasn't nearly as athletic as they were, so I had to be smart on defense. I had to learn how to be in the right spot at the right time, but it helped develop me into the player I am now."
"It was a big step for me from eighth grade to varsity," Mustard said. "I went from basically being the biggest guy on the court to the smallest and the weakest guy out there. It was a faster pace, and Coach said 'when you catch it, shoot it, no hesitation.'
"Everything has paid off. I learned a lot from that year, and I still use things I learned then in my game today."
Faulconer also looked back to his freshman season.
"As a freshman, I was pushed around a lot, and the game was a lot faster," he said. "That made me work harder in the weight room to get stronger, and the game has slowed down as I'm getting up to that speed."
The three players each spoke about why they decided to stick with the game since their elementary school days, while talking about the players they grew up watching wearing the purple-and-gold.
"I knew at an early age it was my favorite sport," Schrader said. "I liked going to the games watching guys like Danté (Jackson), Jordy Ralph and those guys … I liked watching those guys play, and I always wanted to be like those guys when I was younger.
"When you finally get to middle school and on up, you start learning stuff from those guys. It makes you want to stick with it and get better."[[In-content Ad]]
Mustard spoke about hearing old stories of family members.
"It just means a lot to me. When I was little, I grew up hearing stories about my dad and just some of the older guys and how much fun they had together," he said. "Growing up seeing Danté, Michael Howard, Garrett Taylor … all those guys and seeing how they played, I wanted to be like them.
"Just having the opportunity to play for McClain, it just made me strive to be that varsity player and be out there."
Faulconer said he enjoyed the tradition.
"The tradition here is something that I like here," the junior said. "Watching all the guys when I was growing up … we had to wait in line to get a seat to see them."
Being a captain at McClain is a big honor, one that this trio spoke about with pride, as it is their turn to take the reins of the team.
"It is a tremendous honor to be a captain on the basketball team," Schrader said. "It shows you are one of the guys who the younger guys are looking up to. I think it is great, being a captain with McClain's tradition."
"It puts a lot of pressure on me and the other two captains here to set good examples to be the hardest working guys here," Mustard said. "That's what Coach (Joe Wisecup) tells us … if we want to be captains, we have to bust our butts every night in practice.
"It shows we are going to be the first ones to dive onto the floor, and we are going to be the ones that get everyone going and to get everyone ready for the game."
Faulconer agreed with his fellow captains.
"It was a huge honor to know you are going to help lead the team," Faulconer said. "You have to be one of the ones to keep everyone up and to be there when our teammates are down."
As mentioned before, Schrader and Mustard are seniors, and those two know this is it for their high school careers, as they explained what it is like to be seniors on the team.
"It is hard looking down the road, this is my last year of playing basketball," Schrader said. "It's been a quick three years, and hopefully this last year doesn't go by too fast. I want to get as many wins as possible and make a lot of memories."
"I can remember just yesterday I was a freshman, and it has gone way too fast," Mustard said. "I've been blessed to have a lot of good leaders coming through high school. Scott Balzer helped a lot, and so did Trey Lytle … he helped me tremendously with my defense.
"Also, Brent Shannon and Philip Thompson were good leaders as well. It just means a lot to be a McClain Tiger, and I don't want this season to go too fast."
Seniors Thomas Schrader and Evan Mustard, along with junior Ryan Faulconer, already have eight years of combined varsity experience (not counting this upcoming season), as they all were members of the varsity squad their respective freshman seasons.
All three players, who began their playing days in the youth programs of Greenfield, have a common goal for the Tigers program this season, and that is to get the program back on track to where it customarily was in past years.
Before this year begins, all three looked back at when they first began playing for the Tigers as freshmen at the varsity level.
"My freshman year, I had to battle with a lot of seniors that year," Schrader said. "I wasn't nearly as athletic as they were, so I had to be smart on defense. I had to learn how to be in the right spot at the right time, but it helped develop me into the player I am now."
"It was a big step for me from eighth grade to varsity," Mustard said. "I went from basically being the biggest guy on the court to the smallest and the weakest guy out there. It was a faster pace, and Coach said 'when you catch it, shoot it, no hesitation.'
"Everything has paid off. I learned a lot from that year, and I still use things I learned then in my game today."
Faulconer also looked back to his freshman season.
"As a freshman, I was pushed around a lot, and the game was a lot faster," he said. "That made me work harder in the weight room to get stronger, and the game has slowed down as I'm getting up to that speed."
The three players each spoke about why they decided to stick with the game since their elementary school days, while talking about the players they grew up watching wearing the purple-and-gold.
"I knew at an early age it was my favorite sport," Schrader said. "I liked going to the games watching guys like Danté (Jackson), Jordy Ralph and those guys … I liked watching those guys play, and I always wanted to be like those guys when I was younger.
"When you finally get to middle school and on up, you start learning stuff from those guys. It makes you want to stick with it and get better."[[In-content Ad]]
Mustard spoke about hearing old stories of family members.
"It just means a lot to me. When I was little, I grew up hearing stories about my dad and just some of the older guys and how much fun they had together," he said. "Growing up seeing Danté, Michael Howard, Garrett Taylor … all those guys and seeing how they played, I wanted to be like them.
"Just having the opportunity to play for McClain, it just made me strive to be that varsity player and be out there."
Faulconer said he enjoyed the tradition.
"The tradition here is something that I like here," the junior said. "Watching all the guys when I was growing up … we had to wait in line to get a seat to see them."
Being a captain at McClain is a big honor, one that this trio spoke about with pride, as it is their turn to take the reins of the team.
"It is a tremendous honor to be a captain on the basketball team," Schrader said. "It shows you are one of the guys who the younger guys are looking up to. I think it is great, being a captain with McClain's tradition."
"It puts a lot of pressure on me and the other two captains here to set good examples to be the hardest working guys here," Mustard said. "That's what Coach (Joe Wisecup) tells us … if we want to be captains, we have to bust our butts every night in practice.
"It shows we are going to be the first ones to dive onto the floor, and we are going to be the ones that get everyone going and to get everyone ready for the game."
Faulconer agreed with his fellow captains.
"It was a huge honor to know you are going to help lead the team," Faulconer said. "You have to be one of the ones to keep everyone up and to be there when our teammates are down."
As mentioned before, Schrader and Mustard are seniors, and those two know this is it for their high school careers, as they explained what it is like to be seniors on the team.
"It is hard looking down the road, this is my last year of playing basketball," Schrader said. "It's been a quick three years, and hopefully this last year doesn't go by too fast. I want to get as many wins as possible and make a lot of memories."
"I can remember just yesterday I was a freshman, and it has gone way too fast," Mustard said. "I've been blessed to have a lot of good leaders coming through high school. Scott Balzer helped a lot, and so did Trey Lytle … he helped me tremendously with my defense.
"Also, Brent Shannon and Philip Thompson were good leaders as well. It just means a lot to be a McClain Tiger, and I don't want this season to go too fast."