Ben Wohl ‘25 and Alex Chalmers ‘26
As St. Andrew’s fans reminisce on chants, mosh pits, and excitement from the successful 2022-23 season, anticipation for a new year of basketball fills the air of the Lion’s Den. As senior forward Jayden “JB” Brown put it, “Community support means everything to the team. When the students pack the den, we really feel like we’re playing for more than ourselves.”
Head Coach Kevin Jones noted that community support “means absolutely everything” and that, “[St Andrew’s] has the best student section in the league.” Coach Jones also referenced Prep Hoops, a highly-regarded high school basketball source, which took notice of the team’s impressive 13-0 home record this past season.
Coming off a season that saw exciting victories, strong community support, and a taste of championship glory, the St. Andrew’s Boys Varsity Basketball team is looking to build off these highs..
After finishing the 2022-23 season with a strong 24-7 (9-2 in conference) record and a MAC championship appearance, the team has high aspirations as they once again look to make a run at this year’s championship.
Their schedule is not for the faint of heart, as the team has already opened their season against the highly touted Our Lady of Good Counsel on December 1st. Following the first home game against Severn on December 7th, in which the Lions took a 56-44 victory in addition to one final preseason tournament, conference play opened on Friday, December 15th, against the Potomac School with a win of 56-47. On Tuesday, December 19th, the team lost in a well fought game to St. John’s College High School 76-55.
From there, the road to the MAC Championship begins, as the team will face off against competitive teams in the conference, most notably rival Sidwell Friends School.
Brown said , “I would say the team’s expectations are pretty high going into the season. There are three seniors on the team that are going to fill big roles this year, as well as the new guys coming in, so I would say there’s a lot to look forward to.”
After months of
preparation, the team started their season with the Xaverian Classic tournament. In game 1, they dominated Our Lady of Good Counsel in a 55-38 win to advance to the second round. They remained victorious, going into the finals after a 58-48 win over Glenelg Country High School in the semis.
Although the team fell four points short of a talented Georgetown Prep team, they showcased impressive chemistry to exhibit their talent and athleticism. The Lions excelled particularly on defense, as they consistently forced turnovers to keep them in the game. In an interview with the hosting organization Capitol Hoops, junior RJ Roche, a newcomer, emphasized the importance of defense and winning games, “The real key to winning was the defense. Every time we defend well the offense comes through.”
Another new face, junior Miles Franklin, was a standout player throughout the weekend, earning himself a spot on the Capitol Hoops All-Tournament Team, averaging an impressive 18 points per game.
Sophomore guards Lawrence “Turk” Brown and Karon Bailey also look to take on increased roles this year after impressive Freshman seasons.
“I see my role on the team as being a leader on the floor and a major contributor to the team. I’m looking forward to doing all that I can in order to win the MAC championship,” said Turk.
Overall, the team proved themselves as strong, athletic, and talented, with the potential to win the MAC Championship and other major tournaments.
You can find the entire Boys Varsity Basketball schedule and game results throughout the season on the St. Andrew’s Basketball Instagram (@standrewsmbb) or on X (@standrewsbball).
We’ll see you in the ‘Den.
Photograph by Miles Hansen