High School Look Back: Dylan Gaines (Taylor County)
Dylan Gaines can reflect on an exceptional four seasons as a high school basketball player. Although he faced many challenges, Gaines overcame many obstacles and found ways to be successful. Not only did the combo guard play big roles and grow as a player for the two prep teams he was on throughout his high school career, but he also grew as a person – which is the best part.
“High school in general I think is something that either is a great experience for some or not so enjoyable for others,” Gaines said. “For me, I had a great time. Previously spending my freshmen and sophomore year at Warren East High School and ending my career as a Cardinal here at Taylor County for my junior and senior year, I feel like as a player my game expanded throughout each offseason going into each new coming up high school season. For me, I was blessed to have been growing all throughout high school. I was a 6-foot-1 as a freshman and I grew about a inch every year to where now I’m 6’5.
“Obviously many players and kids dream of growth like that as a basketball player from a height standpoint. Every year I always took my weakness and tried to focus on that in the offseason and summer to help me grow as a player and every year I got older and I gained maturity and as you get older you start to look at things differently on and off the court, so it’s always funny to look back at old things such as newspapers or video clips and see how much I have progressed as a person or player.”
In his final season as a high school athlete, Gaines averaged 12.3 points per game to go along with 5.6 rebounds while helping lead Taylor County to a Region 5 Tournament championship title while being the runner-up in the District 20 Tournament. Although he suffered an injury, Gaines also contributed in a big way in getting the Cardinals back to Rupp Arena for the Sweet Sixteen.
“My senior season was good; we finished with a 21-15 record I believe,” Gaines stated. “I had got hurt at the end of January where I ended up tearing my UCL in my right hand, which I am right handed, so I was put in a cast for six weeks and that was basically the rest of my season. The team went on as I supported and they were runner-ups in the District final against Adair County and then went on to win the Region for a third-straight time and beat Adair County in the Region championship game.
“Adair beat us all three times before the Region championship game and we pulled it out. I was still in a cast but it was a guarantee at that time that I was gonna end my year at Rupp whether I tried to play at Rupp or not. We played on the 16th and I got my cast off on the 13th and I shot around with the team and individually and I made an attempt on playing at Rupp against Ballard. We ended up getting beat and I only played select minutes because of my hand. So it was the way any senior wants to go out at Rupp Arena.”
With his high school career behind him, Gaines is now preparing and hoping to play at the next level.
“Right now, I am still in the recruiting process of things,” the player noted. “I’m still taking visits and getting to see people’s campuses and actually meeting and spending time with these programs. In the season I didn’t have time, but now with the season over I can actually spend my time and focus on the future now. So I have not committed or signed no where as of right now. I plan to major in exercise science with a minor in psychology. I would like to become a life skills counselor.”
As he left a mark on Kentucky high school hoops, the athlete has a message for those still playing at the prep level:
“My message to any high school kid is to not take anything for granted,” added Gaines. “I was a freshman at one time and a sophomore and a junior and I know what players think – “I have next year..” – no, go get it now; don’t wait till next year. I think the biggest thing as a high school player that I’ve seen not only in one program but others is kids being coachable. Absorb and take in everything – any experience, situation or whatever a coach may try and tell you, just take it in.
“Because one day you’ll get this interview from Prep Hoops Kentucky as you’re onto life after high school and it will go by in the blink of an eye.”