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Basketball team openly welcomes new player

By Ravenn Downing — The rumor is true. There is a new tall kid on campus with basketball skills.

Ja’Sean Lewis is the school’s newest tallest player since 2007 superstar Kosta Koufos. Lewis is a 6 ft. 7 in. forward on the varsity basketball. Moving from Columbus Africentric Early College, he has brought excitement to the school for this year’s basketball season.

“Now that he’s here, I’m actually excited for basketball games. I haven’t been excited since my 8th grade year,” junior Kayla Horn said.

Lewis is the first outlandishly tall player the school has had since 2007, when graduate Kosta Koufos played. Koufos is currently playing for the Denver Nuggets.

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“Ja’Sean brings some much needed size, length and mobility to this year’s varsity team,” varsity coach Jack Greynolds said.

Students are saying Lewis is going to be the next Kosta Koufos, because he is so tall; however, according to Greynolds Lewis still has a lot to learn.

Because Lewis came from Columbus he cannot play for the first five games, but he can still play in scrimmages.

“I want to have at least a double double average, at 3.0 in school or higher, and a run for the state championship,” Lewis said.

A double double is a double-digit number in one of five statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocked shots in a game.

Lewis sets his goals prior to the season so he goes in with a specific mind-set ready to play harder and harder every game.

Lewis started playing basketball when he was 11 years-old. He has played on three AAU (Amatuer Athletic Union) teams throughout his high school career. His first year in high school he played center on the junior varsity team. He then started playing forward on varsity.

Lewis has his plans set for the future in basketball with no “plan B”. He wants to get a full ride scholarship to Michigan or Walsh University for basketball. His favorite player in the NBA is Rajon Rondo because he scores, shares the ball and he rebounds. He sees himself being a player like him one day.

“Ja’Sean is a team player, he’s the missing piece that we needed,” varsity player Corey Chapman said.

Lewis is a competitive player, not against his team, but with his team. Lewis knows that to win a game you have to play as a team.

“When everyone is watching me I get nervous, but at the same time it makes me play harder, you don’t even understand the disappointment I feel when I miss a shot,” Lewis said.

Lewis is an effective basketball player because he is very coachable. He listens to the Greynolds in order to become a better player.

Lewis’ strengths are his length and mobility. Greynolds is trying to get him to play at a faster pace, and get that “attack” mentality which according to Greynolds is important for him to win games. Without the attack mentality, it is hard to win games. Lewis’ other strong spots include, perimeter shot and strength.

[Updated Aug. 7, 2017: This article has been reformatted for consistency.]

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Basketball team openly welcomes new player