Changes For Wheaton Boys Basketball

On Friday, December 6th, the Wheaton boys basketball team had their first test of the 2013-2014 season and came up short against Blake High School 51-44.  The Knights were led by Ibe Kallon with 11 points and Jacob Payne with 10.  This was the first in what promises to be a tough beginning to the new season for the Knights.

Wheaton High Schools boys varsity basketball team posted a 10-14 record last year and advanced to the 2nd round of the playoffs.  The team returns a number of players from last year's team, but must also adjust to the loss of starting point guard Ty White. White led the team last year averaging 16 points per game and was the leader in assists. The team did well in the Montgomery Country Recreation summer league and looks to build on that success this season.

The biggest adjustment will begin at coach.  Marco Basso-Luca takes over as the varsity head coach for Sherief Hashim who resigned on Nov. 1 to take a position with the Fairfax County Government.  Basso-Luca, who had been the boys junior varsity coach last year, says: "I like what I see from this group thus far, they are a hard-working and coach-able group who are adjusting well to some of the changes being made".  Basso-Luca stressed that, "It is important that we stay united as a team and don't let distractions get in the way of progressing as a team."

Key returning players include guards Daquan Moore, Jacob Payne, Langston Payne, and Michael Patterson. The team also returns some key front court players, among them Ibrahim Kallon, Carey Brown, and Seydina Diop.
The early season schedule is particularly difficult with the school's recent move from 2A to 3A.  Following Blake, other early games include matches against other 4A teams such as Montgomery Blair and Richard Montgomery High School's, teams the Knights have struggled against in recent years.