On March 1, the Battle boys basketball team went to go take on Washington in hopes of reaching yet another district title game. Unfortunately for the Spartans, they would come out with a loss that night 68-61. According to MSHSAA.com, Battle finished with a winning record at 14-8. 

Many of the Spartans’ key contributors this season were seniors on the team. These seniors gave it their all this year and just fell short. Fortunately, I had the ability to catch up with a few of them to ask them about the season and what they’ve learned from on the team.

When you play sports, there is always something you learn. Yes, sports are fun, but they teach you many great things. “I learned how important being a student-athlete is. I learned how to respect coaches, how close you can get to your teammates, and also what it means to be apart of a successful program,” Tristan Meny said. Meny also gave a pitch to anyone who is looking at playing for the basketball program.

“Come out and play! It is a bast, you learn a lot and you get to be apart of something a lot of people don’t get to experience. Take every opportunity you can, it won’t last forever.”

Head Coach Brian Meny commented on the development of the seniors over the course of four years. “Cachao [Gianquinto] played varsity and started varsity as a freshman, while the other 3 played JV that year. Our associate head coach did a fantastic job that season of developing them. As sophomores, Tristan [Meny] started and Isaiah [Johnson] came off the bench. It was cool seeing those guys grow mentally and physically and learning how to model their games based on their strengths.”

Meny embarked on the personal relationships he built with the seniors as well. “Any time you coach, you are going to develop relationships. It’s not just seeing the sidelines and coaching, there is just more to that. Unfortunately, people don’t get to see the behind the scenes, all the academic help, driving kids to practice, and making sure that the kids are becoming men.” 

Meny showed great gratitude for the senior night from this season: “My favorite moment this season was senior night. I had just come off having COVID-19 and I got to come back and coach that game. It was just refreshing to get back out there and be around the guys again.”

Lastly, Meny expressed the joy it was to watch yet another son of his play the final game in a Spartan Jersey: “It was stressful at times. He always has to do things a little better and a little more right just because he is the coach’s son. I’m proud of him though. Tristan came a long way. My other two boys were naturally gifted, whereas Tristan really had to work hard and hone his game over time.”

The boys’ basketball team had yet another winning season and will be looking to build upon that in the future.