45 practices.

Nine weeks of the season.

13 games.

Five wins.

COVID-19 has affected everyone in some sort of way, however the boys’ basketball team has been especially hit hard as the numbers don’t tell the whole story.

Since the season began in October, the team has had just six practices with everyone on the team present. 

The other 39 practices featured at least one player or coach missing due to quarantine.

It’s a situation that’s led to a certain mindset. 

“When someone gets quarantined, we just have the next person step up,” senior Park McCurdy said. “They practice harder for them in their absence, so they will be good to return when they come back.”

Having one, or two, or three players out in one thing, but at one point, the entire team was out.

“When we were quarantined it was really weird not being able to practice everyday,” McCurdy said. “We were all, as a team, trying to just stay healthy and be ready to return.  When we rejoined practice we got back into the swing of things by doing drills and rerunning our plays that we needed refreshing on.”

But just as the team was free from quarantine, head coach Stephen Friar had to be quarantined. 

The day Friar returned, assistant coach Ben Manning went into quarantine, forcing Friar to adapt and adjust.

“It was different, when you have worked with somebody for the last four years, every single day,” Friar said. “He and I have worked really well together because we have different personality types and that really works well for our program. And so whenever one of us isn’t there the other person has to pick up the slack and try to do the best they can. But it is definitely different.” 

It was a scenario that surprised the players. 

“When the coaches got quarantined, it was a shock,” McCurdy said. “It was much different not having them there everyday to help out and coach us through practices and games,” McCurdy said.

One thing that helped the team manage the season was its approach to a school year that was going to be anything but normal.

“I think our mindset going into this whole school year was about being grateful,” Friar said. “I think initially if you come in with a sense of gratefulness then you are more willing to adapt and make changes and everything. So what we’ve done is placed more autonomy on our players, when our guys are here we try to make the most of the situation we are around and to live every moment like it’s our last.”

Although there have been some changes to the schedule, the Redhawks finally have everyone back for Tuesday’s District 9-5A road game against the Independence Knights.

Currently sitting in 6th place, the Redhawks still have time to make a run at a playoff spot. But regardless of what happens in the team’s final five games, Friar hopes the team is able to learn from its experiences this year.  

“The upside, won’t be necessary from a basketball standpoint,” he said. “But the upside, from a life standpoint is everything’s not gonna be laid out for you perfectly. You’re always going to have bumps in the road, you’re always going to have hills and valleys, but you always have to make sure you keep the main thing, the main thing.”