Christian Brothers’ Bubba Luckett: Each player got better since the end of last season

<p>Christian Brothers head coach Bubba Luckett didn’t like how last season ended, with a 65-51 loss to Baylor in the quarterfinals round of the Division II-AA Boys State Tournament.</p> <p>His team wasn’t pleased either, and Luckett hasn’t had to remind his players how the 2018 season ended. So, the goal for the Purple Wave in 2019 is to get over the hump and get to Nashville, Tennessee to compete for a state title.</p> <p>“I think they know how close they were, and it was a disappointing loss because we didn’t play very well, and we should’ve won, we think,” Luckett said about the loss. “Baylor was good, but our guys expected to win that game, and that’s a good thing that they went into that game not feeling like the underdogs.</p> <p>“I think they were disappointed that they didn’t go to Nashville, but that’s the motivation they need to get after it this year. Let’s see what we can do.”</p> <p>At Monday’s practice, each varsity basketball player on the floor played with a competitive edge, putting forth the type of effort that’s going to be needed to win a state title.</p> <p>Luckett doesn’t have size, something he knew he wasn’t going to have after losing Bill Norton and Clint Channell last season to graduation, but he has a solid collection of guards that are going to give opponents headaches every week. Luckett has one of the best backcourts with sophomore <strong>Chandler Jackson</strong> and junior <strong>Reese McMullen</strong>, and the supporting cast of juniors <strong>Eli Federman</strong> and <strong>Harrison Kelly, </strong>sophomore <strong>Zion Owens</strong>, and senior <strong>Sam Spence </strong>is a wish list most coaches would love to have.</p> <p>Every one of those players have improved since last season. Jackson’s mid-range jumper has made some strides, and he’s one of a few in his class that’s not afraid of contact. McMullen’s 3-point shooting is consistent. Federman has improved on his passing. Owens has improved on finishing at the rim. Spence has improved on his outside shooting and shouldn’t be ignored by defenses this upcoming season. Kelly’s entire offensive game has taken steps forward.</p> <p>“I don’t think we have anybody that hasn’t made a jump,” Luckett said. “Matter of fact, one of the questions I asked was ‘If you played yourself one on one last year, how many of y’all would eat the other guy alive?’ I think all of them think they would.</p> <p>“We as coaches, watching them play, believe that we, may as a group, made a bigger jump that we have made in a while.”</p> <p>Junior guards <strong>Ben Floyd</strong> and <strong>Colin Scifres</strong>, both 6-foot-3, will play pivotal minutes this upcoming season. Both can shoot the basketball. In the rotation this upcoming season, Christian Brothers will also have junior guard <strong>Sam Lakey</strong> and sophomore guard <strong>John Hardy Lamberson</strong>.</p>