Faith boys basketball to play in more events
CAPTION: Faith Academy guard Colt Mason moves to disrupt the shot. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro
The Faith Academy of Marble Falls boys basketball program continues to use its June to the fullest.
The Flames, fresh off of finishing the Llano June League, will compete in a tournament in Round Rock this weekend and then at the TABC Showcase hosted by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches.
At the TABC event, Faith will face Dallas First Baptist and Fort Worth Lake Country Christian both on June 20 and St. Thomas Episcopal June 21. Squads are guaranteed three games and the event is in Arlington, Duncanville and Mansfield.
“It’ll be really good competition,” head coach Zakk Revelle said. “We’re trying to take 14 guys with us; some are our (junior varsity) guys. We want them to experience that. It’s a lot of high-level basketball. We’ll spend as much time watching as we do playing.”
Since it is an event hosted by the association that “aims to promote Texas basketball,” Revelle believes coaches of all levels will be in attendance.
“You’re trying to get your kids good looks,” he said. “We’re trying to win the game and play it out like a normal varsity game.”
Revelle will be sitting on the bench for those events. Two big differences are the Flames are expected to have three of their starters in the lineup and Revelle may help his players a little more with rotations, breaking down what the opponent is doing, and telling his athletes which plays to run.
The Flames are playing in these weekend events now that the Llano Summer League ended June 10.
“The idea was to put guys in a position to get better and better in leadership scenarios,” the coach said. “We really felt like guys who were supposed to get better did. We obviously wanted to push the ball – that’s our MO (mode of operation).”
Defensively, the Flames told each other “to pick up a man,” Revelle said.
He commended lettermen Collten Kohutek and Austin Skahill, who “did a good job leading” and subvarsity players, who weren’t shy about contributing on both ends of the floor.
The squad also welcomed Johnson City transfer James Jenkins.
Most teams played a half-court man defense and no one pressed. Squads showed a tendency of pushing the pace for easy buckets though defenses didn’t give up quickly, much like what the Flames encounter during district and postseason runs.
“They’re wanting to get up and down and be aggressive,” Revelle said. “We want to make sure we can play that style.”
The biggest benefit of playing in this league? Something that most adults may take for granted today. It was common to see pickup games played in driveways and at city courts at least a decade ago. Back then players picked their teammates and simply played without running a particular offense or defense. To score, players worked to get open and call for the ball while defenses adjusted and did what they could to stop them.
That was the best way to improve, Revelle said.
The Llano league allowed that, which was incredibly beneficial to the Flames, the coach said.
“I felt like we did a good job of that,” he said. “The first week (my players) didn’t know what to do; they’re used to a system. That’s something we’re learning. At the end of the day, schemes don’t win championships – players do. Part of it for me is we have to learn how to just play.”
The league drew teams from Burnet, Faith Academy, Junction, Llano and Marble Falls. Each coach believes the four-week commitment helped their players in numerous ways and each expressed thanks to the Yellow Jackets for hosting and officiating.
“We’re very thankful to (llano head coach Landry) Norwood and Llano for hosting us for four weeks,” Revelle said. “It went so well.”
CAPTION: James Jenkins, a transfer from Johnson City, is another ball handler for the Flames. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro
