Ryan Brock, management sophomore, is playing in his first season with the ‘Pack.

He started playing basketball when he was six years old for a Biddy basketball league. “My dad got me into basketball. I have two older brothers, and they played basketball, so it was a house full of sports, so in a way I had no choice but to play,” Brock said.

His father encouraged Brock to work hard to achieve his goals. “He used to always tell me that if you wanted to do something, if I wanted to play, I would have to be dedicated to get better at it,” he said.

Basketball is his favorite sport because it gives him a chance to compete. “I like it because it’s a team sport, but you also find yourself in a one on one battle on the court,” he said.

Brock graduated from Brother Martin High School in New Orleans. There, his team won District all four years and won state his sophomore and junior seasons. “Where I am in basketball, I can give all the credit to Brother Martin because that’s where I actually started learning about the game, especially the concept of a team and what it takes to win,” Brock said.

While at Brother Martin, Brock played with D.J. Augstin, who currently plays for the Charlotte Bobcats. Brock, however, wants to focus on his education first.

 “Getting a degree from Loyola speaks for itself, I just looked at it an as an opportunity for a fresh start in my life. Education is more important than basketball to me right now,” Brock said.

Brock added since arriving at Loyola, his focus has shifted to academics, and he believes that it has helped improve his performance on the court and enjoys playing for the ‘Pack

 “I think we’re a really good team. We came out and did a lot better than I expected. I knew we were going to come out and play as hard as possible,” he said.

He has enjoyed his experience playing for the ‘Pack and feels that there is a strong bond between the team. “I love it. I never thought I would bond with people so quickly, but it’s really a brotherhood on this team,” Brock said. He added that he has strongest bonds with Torry Beaulieu, history junior, and Sean Bennett, general studies business junior.

Eduardo Gonzalez can be reached   at [email protected].