Countless student-athletes, coaches, families and more were in question on whether high school basketball could be played. The basketball season did get started, but it is very different to basketball being played in previous seasons. Last season, the Braves won the Sectional title beating Guerin, Bishop Chatard and Lebanon, but due to COVID-19, regionals got cancelled and the season ended there. They came back this season playing every game like it’s their last game, because they had experienced that before. COVID-19 has had a major impact on high school basketball. Without any fans in the stands to cheer the players on, it might be hard to find some motivation to play. 

Junior Billy Smith is the team’s leading scorer and here’s what he had to say on his team, and the season. Billy said that this year has been weird because he’s “used to having opposing fans scream and yell at him, but at all the games were the same based on the crowd.” He says it was much easier to play away games because there was no crowd to yell at him, but both home and away games felt the same because during home games he was used to the student supporting him. In the sectional championship, student sections were allowed, and he said that “that was the first game he felt like he played because both of the student sections were lively and it was a lot of fun.” Billy says he is excited for next year because the fans will be back and it will be his senior season.

Coach Todd Howard has been coaching at Brebeuf for 7 years and has been coaching in general for 27 years. One thing Coach Howard is especially proud of is how the team handled COVID-19. Knowing that their season could end in an instant, the Braves have taken every precautionary measure while wearing masks at all times except for when on the court. “This has been the hardest year for high school students, and when you throw in high school basketball, it makes it even harder. We didn’t miss one single practice, team activity or game this season and I am really proud of the boys for that.” The team also had to wear a mask while practicing, warming up for a game, in the locker room and while on the bench. They played the toughest 3A schedule in Indiana and that’s what has helped prepare them. “We won our last 10/11 games and went into the postseason on a 7 game winning streak. It all came together playing the toughest schedule, but it prepared the players for postseason and next year.” Next year, the team will have 10/13 returning of their most productive players. “For next season it’s all about passing the baton. We had a great year in my eyes which has helped prepare us for next season, and hopefully we can build on our success.” 

Although there are no fans allowed in the gym, they have been streaming all their games on Youtube where Matt Moore ‘21 has been watching them. Matt used to be a regular at the games pre-covid. He enjoys watching the team play because “they are a group of fundamental ball players that play with passion and heart.” Matt misses being able to sit in the student section and sit with his buddies and “cheer on the braves.” He is extremely disappointed he wasn’t able to attend all the games, but he was very happy to see the braves play again in person in sectionals.

The boys basketball season unfortunately did not end the way they wanted it to end with a 44-36 defeat in the sectional championship to Guerin Catholic. The three seniors that are graduating this year, Austin Ezell ‘21, Evan Altman ‘21 and Anthony Hopson ‘21 all had a tremendous four years at Brebeuf. The returning braves will be looking to continuously improve in the off season and make next season even better.