Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School’s varsity basketball team has contributed to a controversial 2020-2021 school year. This school year has been incredibly difficult for everyone, but it is swiftly coming to an end as a few athletes from the MSD’s boys’ basketball team reflect on the aspects of their school year. 

School alone is a heavy burden for most students let alone managing physical activity. Various students have different ways of maintaining aspects of their school life.

“I manage school and basketball by being focused on both equally. Without school, I can’t play basketball so I try my best to stay focused in the classroom,” shooting guard Romae Brown (24) said.

MSD’s boys’ basketball team is ranked 70th in Florida with an overall 3-6 winning ratio. This year the boys’ basketball team had a lot of freshmen on the team which caused a lot of adjusting and regulation. 

“My team has made expectations this past season. I didn’t expect us to do amazing but we did good for a team with a lot of freshmen, including myself, and new players we have a lot of improving to do,” Brown said. 

Due to the offseason, the team has not been able to practice, making it difficult for the team to develop chemistry among one another.

“I think this season was definitely better than last season and everybody wants to win and win as a team. I felt a year before the team wasn’t as talented as it is now,” varsity captain Sean Sucarichi said.

Stand-out games are very important to athletes, they are worth remembering and stick with the individual throughout their career lifetime.

“The game that stood out most to me this season was when we played against Mcarthur at their home gym. It was a packed gym that was really loud and enthusiastic which motivated our team,” point forward Daniel Haviv (23) said.

Mental health is a very important factor in a student athlete’s career. Due to COVID-19, mental wellness has dropped exponentially among students all across the world. Social isolation can definitely affect students’ stress levels and overall mental well-being. It is significant that students make sure to address their mental stability the correct way when in need of assistance.

“I am a senior this year and it kind of sucked to end off on this note, but I’m grateful that I was able to play a good amount of games and get some wins,” Haviv said.

Next year’s school year is labeled as “unprecedented” but is hoped to be filled with many opportunities that were not available this year by students. 

“I think the future is bright for this team. We are going to work really hard this offseason and come back next year and win districts and hopefully work our way up to Lakeland,” Sucarichi said. 

It has been a great year for our boys varsity basketball team with an overall winning score of 3 games, as they started and finished off the season with dedication and allegiance. It is inevitable for what’s in store for next season.