Like all of high school sports, teams lose their senior leadership every year. These players have been developed at a young age to take the lead their senior year. The Knighthawks are no different. The Laurel Knighthawks are embarking on a journey this season that will be fraught with growing pains. Coming off a season that saw many ups and downs that ultimately ended with a state championship, the Knighthawks have many players who have to learn on the fly in their new roles. Last year, the team had Jack Flynt as their point guard, a position that Jack held for years. They also lost a lot of leadership when they lost Issac Housley, a forward who was a defensive leader.
The thing that these two players had in common was, experience at their respective positions. With the absence of Jack, the Knighthawks have tasked Eli Carter with the point guard duties. Eli is playing only his second season of organized basketball. Jacob Moree over the years has developed one of the best mid-range shots in the league, but this year he is going to have to handle the ball more. Silas Ensign is arguably the best shooter in the league, but like Jacob, he has to turn into more of a floor facilitator this season.
Needless to say, the players have to have a “team first” mind set. In the first game of the season, the Knighthawks played team ball. The result of this type of play was a victory. The Knighthawks moved, and handled the ball very well. When Laurel plays as a team instead of a group of individuals, they are one of the most exciting clubs in the conference to watch. This will be an interesting season for the team. There will be some growing pains as members of the team wear into their new leadership roles. If the Knighthawks play team and fundamental basketball, then this will be a fun and wild ride.
