By Joshua Cheng, Staff Reporter
The Kennedy boys varsity basketball team ended their preseason with a stunning 12-2 record. In conclusion to their stellar lineup, this 2020 season, the team includes three young sophomores: Kyle Hoang, Joseph Yoo, and Ryan Soto.
Playing varsity basketball early in high school is challenging. As a varsity player, an athlete is expected to be on top of their game not only during games but practices as well. These sophomores have to work just as hard, if not more, than their senior teammates just to keep up.
When it comes to practice, the boys are on a constant grind to maintain their winning performance and mentality. They practice for an hour and a half to two hours from Monday to Saturday. Their plays revolve around a five-man motion offense- the same offense that UCLA runs.
Playing varsity has a lot more physical contact than what Soto had anticipated last year. Standing at 5 feet 10 inches tall, Soto is well around the height of many varsity players on the court. He is a strong shooter and can knock down threes when needed.
“The court is very intense. It’s more intense than it has ever been before. I’ve been playing basketball my whole life and I never had to play against kids that are bigger, stronger, and taller than me,” Soto said.
On the other hand, Hoang stands at 5 feet 7 inches tall and plays point guard. He has great vision on the court and sets his teammates up for easy shots.
“Getting coached at a varsity level is for sure tough. There’s a lot of pressure, the standards are higher, and they don’t see you as a sophomore, but as any other varsity player on the court,” Hoang said.
Yoo is the tallest of the three, standing at 6 feet 1 inch tall. Because of his height, he is able to guard taller players and play lockdown defense when the Irish need him. Yoo understands that he has to step up to the challenge of playing varsity basketball and be on top of his game.
“Playing varsity basketball is way more challenging than playing on JV. But I like the challenge. I would not have gotten this far if it weren’t for my hard work,” Yoo said.
Aidan Kosaka is the varsity captain for the boys this year. Following the 2020 season, he will be leaving his remaining teammates to carry on the Fighting Irish’s legacy.
“I think that passing down the mantle to the sophomores and juniors is one of the most exciting things about high school basketball. It becomes their responsibility to step up and become a leader on and off the court regardless of all the tough challenges they will face,” Kosaka said.
Although the team fell short in their CIF game against Oakwood, the boys ended the season as CIF semi finalists with an overall record of 14 wins and 11 losses. This was the first time the Kennedy basketball team has made CIF since the 2016 season, and hopefully just the beginning of many CIF appearances to come. With all of the seniors leaving, it is up to the remaining sophomores and juniors on the team to carry on the leadership and hard work that their senior teammates have built up over the years.
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