howeenterprise.com
Monday, November 27, 2017
Page #5
Eighth grade boys with back-toback wins for first time ever https://www.txfb-ins.com/insurance/agent/Grayson/23242/LorettaAnderson
Howe's Ethan Lopez looks to dish the ball to a teammate. Photo by Julie Bearden. This year's crop of Howe eighth grade boys have had their struggles in the field of athletics over the years. Their success in football and basketball have been very limited. However, the 2017-18 basketball season has brought in a new refreshing atmosphere and for the first time, the group has won back-to-back games and sit with a perfect 2-0 record to start the season. After going win-less again in football, and only winning one game a year ago in basketball, the team started fresh with an even won/loss record and an opening game at Lone Oak to start the season. With a healthy 18 point thrashing of the Buffaloes, the boys celebrated greatly getting the monkey off of their back.
before the game even started," said Luke. "But this year, we see the bigger dude and we just know that we have to pressure him and know that they're not going to get in the lane that easy." The mentality has turned the corner quite possibly due to two years of outside training in the game of basketball. The starters have been playing as a team in Plano for several years now and the boys are now seeing the rewards of all of that hard work.
The starters on the A team are Luke Lopez, who's brother Ethan says has good court vision and can bring up the ball well. He also said the team trusts his brother to be the one to take the final shot in the game. Parker Pecina is also a good ballhandler. Zack Defrange is a really "I was really excited when we got good post, with good court vision that first win, but I knew it wasn't and has become really aggressive over. We've got to keep it going according to the Lopez twins. throughout the whole season." said Ethan Lopez is the utility player, starter Ethan Lopez. according to his brother Luke. He can play multiple positions when Lopez and his identical twin Luke various players enter the game. Eli said the team received an Wilson rounds out the starters with unexpected boost in the second good court vision and trust to take game of the season when Howe's the ball up the court if needed and Varsity Basketball Coach Eric drive the lane. Johns was on the bench with them and helping them against The team has had success not Whitewright - a game in which because of only the starters, but the they won, 34-25. team is deep on the bench and role players don't miss a beat when "He got all of us involved and it entering the game. worked really well," said Luke Lopez. "We have a different mind set now," said Ethan Lopez. "We're Luke Lopez said the mentality is tired of losing. So we started different from a year ago and that putting extra work in at practices has made the biggest difference. and it's starting to pay off." "Last year, we would look at our opponent and say, 'they're huge, we're never going to beat them' and we got really intimidated
Hard work does pay off and the eighth grade boys are reaping those rewards early in the season.
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