Peninsula boys basketball team staying ready, hopeful for winter season
In a world of unknown, one thing can be certain: Peninsula’s boys basketball team, if or when their season returns, will be ready.
Despite the postponement of high school sports due to the coronavirus pandemic -- as late December remains the earliest possible return date for local athletics -- the Seahawks are taking advantage of their time away from the court, whether it be as a team or in isolation.
“Some of our guys have their own hoops and have been doing their own things at their own houses,” Peninsula coach Matt Robles said. “All we’ve asked is to stay active in a safe way. … They could run on their own or do some body weight exercises on their own. If they’re fortunate enough to have a hoop, they can get some shots up and do some of the drills that we (do) on a daily basis during a normal season. I know a few of our guys have been taking advantage of that. But our No. 1 concern is … getting out and being safe and taking care of themselves and the people around them.”
And like other programs at Peninsula, the basketball team has utilized a coaching period that allowed teams to gather and prepare for upcoming athletic seasons, assuming social distancing and other safety regulations are followed.
Peninsula recently suspended this week’s practice period temporarily, and while it is unclear when the teams will return to their respective fields, courts, or mats, Robles says there’s a benefit to the socially-distanced meetings, albeit in pods of six.
“Getting the boys together has been nice,” Robles said. “It’s been great to see them and it has been very beneficial for us. We’ve been working those small groups and trying to get the most out of it and making the most of this opportunity.”
Robles says a typical practice includes individual skill work, but the pod format that many of Peninsula’s programs abide by allow for offensive drills, such as two-on-two and three-on-three scrimmages. Their practice regulations ensure further safety; consistent with other teams participating in the coaching period, Peninsula athletes are required to wear masks, pass temperature checks, and arrive with parental confirmation that a given athlete does not show symptoms of COVID-19.
“It’s the same thing throughout our entire school,” Robles said. “They have to do the screenings and the daily [parent] forms, and we’ve had to enter through a certain door and exit through a certain door and stay in our pods. I believe all of our athletics are doing a great job of following the guidelines and doing our absolute best to ensure our kids are safe and enjoying (practice). … And credit to the kids. They’ve been great at being receptive, understanding what they need to do to get this done, and to be in the gym. Our turnout has been great and our numbers have been great.”
The Seahawks entered last year’s district tournament with a 7-13 regular season record, and won their first game in the bracket before dropping the following two contests. This season, they’ll look to rebound after losing seven seniors.
Robles acknowledges the team will be young, and plans to showcase both sophomores and juniors within the starting five.
“I like the upside of our team,” Robles said. “Obviously, one of our top players coming back is Luke Brown, who had a tremendous freshman season. He’s one of the best players in the state in his class. There’s no question about that.
“It just depends on how much we can grow and develop during this time. Everyone is in a tough spot across the state (with) limited practice time and limited space. “
For sports classified as high-risk by the WIAA -- those typically with high rates of contact, like basketball -- Pierce County will have to decrease their infection rate below 25 positive COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents in order for Peninsula to be eligible for play next month. As of now, Pierce County’s 14-day case rate per 100,000 sits at 181.
It may be a longer road than initially expected for the return of Peninsula basketball, but Robles says his players will take advantage of any opportunity presented to them.
“First and foremost, these young men are here to take care of their academics and get their high school diploma,” Robles said. “This is not going to be a normal or easy year. Whenever that bell rings for our season to start, we’ve got to be ready. Whenever we get a chance to get on the floor … they’ve got to take advantage of this opportunity and make the most of our limited time. … When we do get in the gym, we’ve got to be ready to roll and get better every single chance we can.”
This story was originally published November 10, 2020 at 6:00 AM.