A young but determined men’s basketball team is looking to make it to the national championships this season.
The team has currently won two of their six updated overall games and is 1-0 in conference games.
Several new faces joined the team this season, with five incoming freshmen and a brand new assistant coach, Justin Reynolds.
“Across the board, everything is fresh,” said head men’s basketball coach Donald Reyes. “Experience across the board is a new feel.”
Reyes is in his 2nd year here at Loyola and is looking to “reteach everything in all aspects of the program”. He said the young group of players is going through some early bumps and bruises but he purposefully planned the season this way so they can be prepared for the upcoming months.
Regardless of how young the team is, one thing has never changed: their goal of making it to the National Championship.
“It’s a staple to what this program is about,” Reyes said. “We are blessed to be in the presence of the national championship banners. We know what our goals and aspirations are. Though we are young, our expectations are still the same.”
However, that isn’t the only goal that the team has for this season. According to Reyes, he wants this team to be the most tight knit group the players have ever been a part of.
“Everyone is on the same page and they know how important it is to build connections outside of basketball,” Reyes said.
Reyes said the team has been spending more time off the court to achieve this. They have done bonding from community service to game nights to National Basketball Association watch parties.
“Our chemistry has grown throughout practices and team activities and that translates onto the court as far as being cohesive as a team. Our strength and trust in each other has grown exponentially,” said redshirt sophomore Leonard Jackson III.
But Coach Reyes’ goals for the basketball team don’t stop with that. He said he wants to give back to the community as well.
“We don’t just want people to come see us, we want people to know us on and off the floor so if there are opportunities in the community we would love to participate in them” said Reyes.
