As the Pirates Men’s basketball team season comes to an end, lets everybody reflect on our early season write-ups. What do you notice? Power Freshman! Not to say these young Pirate players didn’t deserve all the attention they received this season because as numbers show, they did!
However, behind these freshman or shall I say “ahead of them” are the upperclassmen players who may not have had as much of the media’s attention.
Paris-Roberts Campbell, who is a senior guard, has been a very familiar face to this team playing in all 100 games his first 3 years and started 52 games leading up to this season. I spoke with him before senior night, how fitting. I asked him what the seniors are really doing behind the scenes to help these freshmen be the players they are. “I try to make sure they compute every day, and know that it’s all about progression. When things are not going your way all you got to do is work harder and try to get better each day.”
Paris also mentioned that he likes that the “young-ins” are getting a lot of the attention. He thinks it’s a good thing for them!
Of course, an interview wouldn’t be complete this season without talking to one of the Power Freshman. Lane Tejada, a freshman guard spoke on the matter. Patience is something Lance mentioned that the upperclassman have helped him with, and helped him understand that his time will come. It’s a “process”. “That’s what the older guys have shown me this game is and not to worry too much about the present when you have the whole future.”
Lance couldn’t name any one specific senior who made the biggest impact on him. “They all have.” This just goes the show the team unit.
I told Lance what Paris had to say about them getting the most of the media attention and Lance kind of laughed a bit. He said for them (senior players) not having to deal with the press and just being able focus on the next game and the expectation of getting to play the game they love is probably why Paris feels that way.
The Pirates still have one more scheduled basketball game on March 12th against UCF.
