Last year, the IHS Boys Varsity basketball team had an incredible year, finishing with a record of 18–1 and finishing as runners-up in the Section 4 tournament. Tryouts for the team ran in early November. I caught up with Mamadou Bah ’19, a first-time member of the Varsity squad, to discuss the team’s prospects for this season.
Isaiah Gutman ’19: What was the experience like, trying out for the team?
MB: The experience was fun. It was long and tiring, but fun.
IG: Do you have any examples of drills that you did?
MB: The first day, we had this drill where if you missed, or the ball hit the ground, then you had to run sprints. Since it was the first time most of us were doing that drill, there were a lot of mistakes and we had to run a lot.
IG: Did the tryouts have any effect on you, like soreness or something similar?
MB: I wasn’t sore; it was just running, so it wasn’t too bad.
IG: How did you find out you made the team? How did you feel when you found out?
MB: The coach pulled players aside to let them know if they made it. I was pretty excited when he told me.
IG: What are your expectations for the team this year?
MB: In terms of the team, I think we are going to have a very good year. We have pretty good players, and I think they’re all eager to win the championship. I’m confident that we’ll have a good year.
IG: I’m guessing you’ve watched the current seniors play for a while, and maybe played with them before. How does it feel to be on the same team as them now?
MB: You get to compete with them every day and get better through that, so it’s good. I like it.
IG: Are there any pro players you try to emulate in your play?
MB: No, I try to emulate myself. But Kyrie Irving and Devin Booker: those are my two guys.