Boys’ Basketball is in full swing after their win vs. Australia on Dec. 2. With a dominant win, the Vikings hope to carry this momentum throughout the year. In this win, every player on the court was shining. Whether they were making assists or sinking deep threes, they looked like a cohesive unit. But there was one player who blinded the competition. Junior Devin Freeman, the 6’3 guard, finished the game with a total of 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 steals, leading the way for the Vikings.

The chemistry of these Vikings was apparent with a 78-38 victory over Tension Woods of Australia.

“It’s really a family. We’re all brothers. We all look out for each other. We hang out outside of basketball. So it’s really a brotherhood,” senior Gus Lindsey said.

This was evident in the game as the Vikings dominated on offense and clamped down on defense. This win was a major morale booster for the Vikings, even though this game had no effect on their record. The bond of this team has never been stronger.

Senior Daniel Ngezaho’s style of leadership helps keep his teammates focused with an “eye on the prize” mentality while Lindsey brings out the fun aspect of the sport.

“It’s like a brotherhood. We all hang out outside of school, and we spend a lot of time with each other. So yeah, that’s why we have good team chemistry this year,” Ngezaho said.

Ngezaho is a three-year varsity athlete heading into his senior year. He’s seen failure, hardships and many seasons not go according to plan, so how does he bounce back? How does he lead the team through adversity?

“Never let my teammates see me down and uplift my teammates all the time, even if we’re losing or in a bad situation, just help them. Lead them. Be encouraging,” Ngezaho said.

Lindsey has taken a different approach to leading this team.

“Trying to just ball out and have fun with my boys,” Lindsey said.

There is no solid way to define a leader; both Ngezaho and Lindsey have found different ways to display their leadership. These two make great leaders and together inspire the team to learn both styles of play. While their leadership methods may be different, Ngezaho, Lindsey, and the rest of the team share the same mentality.

“Win, just win,” Ngezaho said.

The Lake Stevens boys basketball team has one goal as Ngezaho describes it: they are focused on one game at a time, one foot in front of the other. They want to focus on the now and put in every bit of effort they can, not only for themselves, but for everyone they call their brothers.

The Lake Stevens Boys basketball team continues its season with eight games scheduled this December. On Dec. 17, they will take on Kamiak, a division rival, and two days later, another division rival in Glacier Peak.