Bballer James Hanson (middle) at Homecoming
game Sept. 24. (Photo by Ed Piper)
I struck up a conversation on the sidelines with James Hanson at the LJ-Del Norte football game Fri., Sept. 10. Or, rather, more accurately, James struck up a conversation with me.
I didn't even know if he knew who I was, but it was all very natural, and it centered on, I suppose, our mutual favorite topic--basketball.
Hanson, a senior. said, "We don't have a big man on the (Viking) team, so we all help out and play a running style, with everybody contributing."
Coach Paul Baranowski is the mastermind of that scheme. Whether Brennan Ross, Hanson, or others, they play quick, good team defense, cohesive helping-out play. That style of play is very team-oriented, and always guaranteed to bring good results.
Everybody is working hard, so there is a lot invested in the team effort and team cohesiveness. That is probably the basketball player's main drive--working together, nobody the hero. It's not like you have to conjure up "team spirit". Everybody is already bought in, though I realize, as I reflect now, that Baranowski and his predecessor years ago, Kamal Assaf, are putting a lot into team-building and trusting one another in the various activities the squad carries out.
I was looking at the MaxPreps phone app. It's kind of curious. Under "All-Time Roster", what it does is list players from each year's squad. Since it's still too early to post the 2021-2022 team list, the default selects players who didn't graduate in June (like Christian Gamboa) and provides their names for the upcoming roster, until the coach posts that roster.
So, Hanson, a senior, is there. Some others, too. By the way, James wasn't acting badly during the game. He was injured and unable to play in Friday's football game, is why I'm figuring he wasn't dressed out for Coach Tyler Roach's team.
Looking forward to a little bball this winter.
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