The freshman boys’ basketball team started the year shakily with the expectations low since last year the team had a 1-19 record. Now, with the season over, people have seen that the freshmen have been underestimated.

Since the previous team had such a terrible record, with only a single win, students and staff were expecting nothing more than a reiteration of the previous team’s repetitive poor scores and disappointing games.

The new freshman coach, William McAnulty, who is also a new addition to the school’s Social Studies department, could be the reason for the team’s newfound success. McAnulty played basketball in high school at Hazelwood Central and after rolling his ankle wasn’t able to play again. Unwilling to give up the sport completely, he has been coaching for the past four years.

According to McAnulty, the top players of the freshman team this year included Omar Foster, Marlin Tuckson, Ronnel Perkins, Darryl Black and the team’s captain, Derrick Freeman. The team also includes Chris Andry, Marvin Bullard, Benjamin Pomerantz, Carlos Cotton, Ernest Sykes and Cameron Keys.

Throughout the season, the team faced many challenges. Some players had to overcome the issues with proving the team’s skill and others had problems with certain stereotypes.

“We had a problem of being student athletes…” says Coach McAnulty, referring to the problems with some of the team members balancing the sport and their academics.

“A lot of my team mates got either kicked off or suspended at some point, so we had to deal with that adversity,” said shooting guard, Benjamin Pomerantz.

Although the team had obstacles to overcome, they also maintained the qualities of self discipline, leadership and a certain brotherhood.

“We’ve got a brotherly connection, we build each other up, and we help each other. There’s no such thing as a put down on our team,” said center and starter Omar Foster.

With the record of 9-11 this year’s freshman team could be one of the best U. City has had in awhile. And unlike the team of this year, the upcoming freshman boys’ basketball players have a lot to live up to.