On senior night Feb. 24, Park boys basketball played well, dropping 81 points to Bloomington’s 61. Because of Park’s lead, the night became more than just a game. Park made moments to remember, with the seniors experiencing their last regular-season game at home on senior night.
According to head coach Arsenio Richardson, the game was entertaining and amusing. He said senior night brought a magical energy, and all the seniors got plenty of time on the court.
“Today was an emotional game,” Richardson said. “It was senior night, and we had seven seniors. It was fun to watch all the seniors get in. We got a senior (who) has a brother on the JV team, it was fun to see them play together. I cherish those moments, just bring that same energy and fight to our next game.”
Senior Miles Blisset said the senior night crowd added pressure at first, but once the team got going, it felt like more support. He said once Park had a lead, it was entertaining seeing all the seniors scoring, and the time was a nice way to spend their last home game.
“Getting all the seniors a chance to score, that was pretty fun to end on a high note,” Blisset said. “It was a little nerve-racking at first, but we got going, and it was easy to settle.”
Senior Jacob Natzel said the team had the bleachers full a couple of times this year, so the full crowd wasn’t unexpected. He said the team felt confident that they were going to win, and his favorite moments from the game were scoring three pointers and seeing brothers Jonah and Caleb Schwab playing together on the court.
“We’ve had decent crowds over the year(s), and we felt this (was) a game that we should win, seeing we beat them earlier in the year,” Natzel said. “One of my highlights was shooting a lot of threes. A team highlight was getting Jonah Schwab and Caleb Schwab to play together. That was fun to see brothers doing it.”
According to Richardson, senior night did not put any pressure on the team; in fact, it was more of a boost. He said he was glad to see a large crowd of family and friends cheering on the team. According to him, Park players were disciplined and driven to win the game.
“It was no pressure. It was more support. It was solid to be able to see some families and the extended families to support them. I feel our guys really wanted (the win). They played the right way, played unselfishly and we made shots,” Richardson said.
According to Blisset, he prepared for the game by warming up and calming his nerves. He said to prepare for games in the future, they have to play as tough as they did today.
“Continue to play hard and rebound shots, that’s how we will win games,” Blisset said. “(I get ready for the game by) moving around, trying to get my body temperature up and my blood flowing.”
According to Natzel, the early stages of the game were difficult, and the team had a tough time warming up. He said the team defense is what truly earned them a win, along with making shots, and his consistent daily practice helps him succeed.
“At the very start (of the game), we had to find our rhythm,” Natzel said. “(We had) good defense intensity. It felt nice every time I scored back there. I (practice) and shoot every day, (and) that has helped me achieve that success.”
