Season Preview: Mater East Academy

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Coaching Staff</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Antoine Wright - Head Coach </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jelany White - Assistant Coach </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Madison Higgins - Assistant Coach </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Byran Palacios - Assistant Coach </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Last Season</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>22-6 Overall, 9-1 In Conference Play </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Made the Playoffs and took home the 3A State Championship after defeating Fernley by a significant margin in the Finals. Final Score 49-32</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>2025-2026 Season </em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mater East Academy has moved up from 3A to 4A. They will play in the Lake League conference with Chaparral, Del Sol, El Dorado, Las Vegas, Rancho, Valley, and Sunrise Mountain.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A majority of their starters and rotational players are now off in college playing basketball. Which means that their team will look to some of their underclassmen from the get go. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two of those underclassmen are [player_tooltip player_id='2624906' first='Damari' last='Sawall'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2918862' first='Benjamin' last='Brown']. Both are 2029 guards who can get a bucket in the blink of an eye. Another 2029 prospect who caught my attention at their intramural was Diego Ramirez. He first came onto my radar last year and he seems to still be a guy who finds ways to get his shot off. They also have 2028 guards, [player_tooltip player_id='2637192' first='Markus' last='Burton'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2819169' first='Keyone' last='Wilkerson']. [player_tooltip player_id='2637192' first='Markus' last='Burton'] will be a playmaker on both ends of the court for them, and [player_tooltip player_id='2819169' first='Keyone' last='Wilkerson'] will be the floor general. Then they will also have [player_tooltip player_id='2221829' first='Kwes' last='Young'] who was a slasher for them last year, and he can cause problems for the other team with his defense. A couple of other guys that will look to contribute are Zermiond Rojas and [player_tooltip player_id='2451761' first='Recee' last='Kendrid']. Rojas appears to be a long range shooter, and Reece Kendrid is very active in the paint thanks to his athleticism.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Overall, they are a young team that will likely look to utilize their athleticism and shooting to win games. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>They should be able to make the playoffs if they can find their groove on offense, and lock in as a unit on defense. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Taking A Closer Look At The Roster </em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2637192"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68fc437b71859"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='2637192' first='Markus' last='Burton'] is currently still playing football, but you can expect him to make an impact for the Knights once he's back on the court. The sophomore uses his energy and creativity to get to his spots on offense. While on defense, he stays in good position and is active with his hands. Look for him to push the ball as well if he has an opportunity to. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2918862"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68fc437b718df"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='2918862' first='Benjamin' last='Brown'] is bound to splash in quite a few 3's for Mater East this season. He knows how to get open off ball and he shoots with a ton of confidence. Brown can also hit shots in traffic and he gets to the line. Expect the Freshman to make some waves this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2624906"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68fc437b71949"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='2624906' first='Damari' last='Sawall'] may be one of the main facilitators on offense for the Knights this year. He has tight handles and can make deceptive moves to get his defender to overplay him. Once he has a step on his man, he can take it all the way to the rack. Or he can dump it off to a guy on the block for an assist. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2221829"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68fc437b719af"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='2221829' first='Kwes' last='Young'] is now the veteran of the squad and he'll likely be a leader for them. He is a difficult guy to guard due to his explosiveness and he can locate the rim even if he's getting bumped in the lane. On the other end of the court, he can collect steals and swat shots. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2819169"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68fc437b71a11"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='2819169' first='Keyone' last='Wilkerson'] plays with nice pace and his eyes are up. Which helps him find his cutters and shooters. He can also carve up the defense a bit himself and he appears to be even more athletic out there. As a defender, he's a pest and can swipe the ball away. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Zermiond Rojas ","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'11u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77244","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Mater East Academy","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68fd61c53c064"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Zermiond Rojas drains shots from the outside and he can help space the floor for the Knights this year. He can also be a disruptor on defense when he gets in passing lanes. I'm looking forward to seeing more from him this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Reece Kendrid ","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027 ","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77244","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Mater East Academy","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68fd61c53c102"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">I don't believe that I had seen Reece Kendrid play before seeing him at Mater East Academy's morning intramural. But he definitely has a motor and can outwork his opponents to get a bucket. He also has the athleticism to battle for rebounds and can cause turnovers. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Diego Ramirez ","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2029 ","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77244","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Mater East Academy ","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68fd61c53c191"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Diego Ramirez is likely going to be apart of Mater East Academy's bench mob. However he should be ready if and when his number is called. He can bury both 2's and 3's, and he has some length. Which helps him out on the defensive end. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->