A team of best friends. A passionate coach. And, best of all, a 15-6 record.
After a series of tough seasons, the Liberty Varsity Boys Basketball team is finally on the rise to the top of the leaderboards, in possession of a third place KingCo title and hopes of a future State title.
“We’re all just a really close friend group, so it’s pretty easy to play when you trust everybody,” senior Cody Hughes said.
The boys have had plenty of time to bond and connect at daily practices, as well as on the annual team trip to a tournament in Bend, Oregon. With 16 players on varsity this year, the boys maintain their brotherhood both on and off the court, while making sure to keep negativity out of the locker room at all times.
“This year’s different because we don’t have just one player that’s gonna go out and score 30 of our points,” said team captain Blake McAllister. “We have a bunch of guys that can put up 10 or 15, so there’s a lot of contributions from a lot of our guys.”
The boys are kept under close watch by the incredibly passionate Coach Omar Parker, who keeps the intensity level high at practice, and makes sure that the team is always ready for action.
“Omar’s definitely the kind of coach who will say something if you’re doing it wrong. It doesn’t matter where you are, whether you’re a starter or a bench player, he keeps you focused and ready to go at all times,” Hughes said.
With a historic record under their belts, as well as a few titles, the boys have their sights set on the Sun Dome in Yakima, where the state championship will take place in March; but while they are certainly focused on the destination, they are sure to have a great time getting there as well.