Sophomore basketball is getting kids ready for the Varsity team. All of those kids are hoping to make it onto Varsity and there is one kid on the team making a big difference. Starting at shooting guard is No. 21, sophomore Austin Andrews. Andrews is a key player for the sophomore boys basketball team. He made the freshman team last year and started in the same position. He has been playing basketball since he was in fifth grade. Before high school, he was a member of the Antioch Jr. Sequoits.

Austin is a scrappy player on the basketball court and that is what coaches really like. The scrappy player is the not the kid who scores the most, but instead, is the kid that is diving for every ball on the floor or going out of bounds. It also means that he hustles after everything and that is what helps him start on the team. He does not just do these things in the game, he also does them in practice, which is rare.

“I think just hustling and working your butt off on both ends of the court brings something that we need every night,” coach Arnold Glapajone said. “Even if he doesn’t hit his shots or doesn’t run the plays right sometimes, we’ll forgive that more because he hustles more than all the other players by playing hard defense and going for rebounds.”

Another trait that Andrews has is that he is a playmaker and can shoot the three ball when he wants. He is always moving on offense, always making cuts to the basketball and then drifting back out for a possible three pointer. Andrews is always keeping the offense going by acting like the point guard.

“Austin does a lot for our team,” sophomore Robert Christiansen said. “He usually doesn’t play the point guard but he contributes in a lot of ways like a point guard would.”

The sophomore boys basketball team has played well together, starting off the season 9-4. The team is looking forward to the rest of the season. The team works well together and has good chemistry, which makes them successful. The team has great chemistry because of how long they have been playing together.

“What makes you successful in basketball is playing well with your team and always going hard,” Andrews said.

He also plays baseball; on the field, he is a pitcher and can also play middle infielder. He has also been playing baseball for most of his life. Last year, he made the sophomore team as a freshman. He started at shortstop and was the lead off batter. He will be trying out for the baseball team again this season and looks to continue his success in the spring.

Andrews is one of the hardest working kids in both of his sports. In practice, he is always trying to push himself and his teammates harder. Andrews has a great work ethic in and out of the classroom, which in the long run has helped him a lot. Andrews does not stand out to most people, but he is a great player to watch; he is not just another kid on JV.