With fall sports officially coming to a close, it marks the beginning of a winter filled with broken ankles, step-back threes, and slam dunks. Last season, the boy's varsity basketball team here at American Canyon High finished with a record of 20-7, going 11-1 in league play. This stellar season ended with the boys placing first place in the league and taking home the Vine Valley Championship. While there are some
remaining players, Coach Hayburn’s 2021-2022 varsity squad was heavily loaded with senior talent, some of which have gone on to play basketball at the next level. With so many new spots and roles to fill, there is a new group of students who have assembled to rise up and meet those expectations left by their predecessors. CJ Mitchell, a senior on varsity, believes the team has what it takes to compete at the highest level. “If everybody does their job and what they’re supposed to do, we will have a successful season.” CJ understands that he must also step up and fill that leadership role. “That’s what the seniors did with me last year, and I just took up their role. Now it’s my role, and I am ready to step up."
Mitchell isn’t the only returning member who understands that there are big shoes to fill. Senior Hassan Flemming knows that he will have a “more valuable role on the team than last year because last year the juniors didn’t play that much.” Despite the lack of experience at the varsity level for most of the team, the players are eager to get onto the court and prove themselves. Their first test will be a non-league match against Fairfield, where the Wolves hope to set the tone for the rest of the season. “I expect us to win league when we play at our fullest,” Flemming noted. “When we play at our fullest, we are one of the best teams out here.”
The players on the team aren’t the only ones with hopeful expectations for the season. Xavian Millanes is a captain for the boy’s varsity volleyball team as well as a team manager for the basketball squad. He understands the expectations left by the team prior and believes this group has what it takes to match them. “We just won league last year, so I expect us to play to that same caliber.” In terms of being a manager, Xavian enjoys it. A former basketball player himself, he “feels like a part of the team.”
Coach Scott Hayburn is going into his 4th season as the boy's varsity basketball head coach and his 10th year overall as a coach for the boy's basketball program. After coming off a sizzling winter where his team won league for the first time in ACHS history (and by four games), he understands more than anyone the expectations his players hold. “We had eight seniors last year and six juniors. All six of those juniors are back and they’re hungry and ready to get a slice of their pie.” Coach Hayburn acknowledged how the squad being heavily loaded with seniors last year affected the juniors playing time. “These guys were waiting their turn… I’m excited to see what they do with that opportunity.”
With the new season right around the corner, the team is looking forward to showcasing their skills on the hardware and applying the work they’ve put in up until this moment. The potential this group has is sky-high, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the team could duplicate the same amount of success as last season with the winning culture that is embedded into our program.
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