Last year, there wasn’t a Mount View boys basketball team due to low numbers for the program. The Golden Knights are now trying to restore the program. Unfortunately are still fighting that same battle this year.
“We still have a long way to go, but we are still working and doing the best we can to have a team,” Mount View head coach Gary Brown said. “We have low numbers, but I think we will be able to make it if we keep what we have.”
To go along with the low numbers, Mount View will have a very inexperienced team this year.
“It is a daunting task. Their knowledge and skill level is not where a normal basketball players would be right now. We are working hard to help them have some success this year,” Brown said. “Some of the players haven’t played at all other than gym class. The talent level and skill level is not what we have been accustomed to. That will make my job as a coach and my assistant’s job a little tougher.”
Brown talked about the philosophy he has used with such a new group.
“We are trying to instill three things that we want them to have. A great work ethic, a great attitude and their effort has to be tremendous as far as what we are doing,” Brown said. “We have told them it is not easy to revive a program. There will be a lot of ups and downs along with bumps in the road. We just have to keep the faith and keep trying hard. If they do those things we will be pleased with that.”
With so much uncertainty at this time, coach Brown has also elected to push the schedule back this year with his team needing extra time to sort things out.
“I took a page out of (legendary Woodrow Wilson head coach) Dave Barksdale’s book where he used to start his season on the 28th or 29th of December in their opening season tournament,” Brown said. “We pushed our season back to January 2 (2024). We have nobody with any varsity experience whatsoever. Most of them haven’t played any high school basketball at all so we thought that was the best course of action for us this year.”
“We are still searching to see who can do what and where we can use them the best. We will try to put them in the best possible position for them to achieve some things.”
Brown will also take on the rebuilding task this year with a new assistant coach who played on a couple of the Northfork championship teams.
“I also lost my assistant from the last six or seven years in Ellis Bryson. Kenneth Brown, the former girls basketball coach will move into that position,” Brown said. “We are getting acclimated to one another this year as well.”
Naturally the highest hurdle to cross will be teaching raw players the concepts of organized basketball.
“You have to have some basketball savvy and you can’t get that from sitting around watching. You have to be able to play and be placed in situations to deal with those situations and gain some knowledge,” Brown said. “We don’t have that right now. Everything we are teaching, they will have to think about it before they do it. That puts us a step behind.”
Although he knows the mountain is steep, Brown fully believes with hard work his team can be productive.
“The dictionary is the only place where success comes before work. Their hard work will give them a chance to compete. It tells you about who you are as a person,” Brown said. “How they work, why they work and the manner in which they work will be very important this year.”
