By BUTCH HARMON
After winning the past two Class B state championships, the Lansing Sexton boys basketball team wants to know how to make it three in a row.
So far this season, the Big Reds have made steady progress toward that third championship, with a young team that has been improving every game. As the season reached the halfway mark, the Big Reds were 7-3 overall and 4-2 in the CAAC Blue.
“We’re learning and growing everyday,” coach Carlton Valentine said. “We’ve been doing ok. It’s been a couple steps forward and a step backward or three steps forward and one step back. We’ve been making steady progress and getting better every day.”
With just four seniors on the roster, Sexton has a young team that brought back little experience from last season. One veteran who is back is senior forward/center Jalen Hayes. The 6’7″ senior is one of the top players in the state, and he will be playing college basketball at Oakland University next season.
“Jalen has been unquestionably our leader,” Valentine said. “He has been on our back-to-back state championship teams, and he is an outstanding player. He has just been having an outstanding season for us. He is a hard worker and a great leader for us.”
The Big Reds have also been getting outstanding play from sophomore big man Trevor Manuel. The 6’9″ sophomore, who is already being recruited by Michigan State University, has been developing his game all season and is one of the premier big men in the state.
“Trevor is learning and is getting better and better everyday,” Valentine said.
Junior Austin Johnson has also been logging some major minutes up front. At 6’5″, he gives the Big Reds one of the taller front lines in Class B basketball.
In the backcourt, the Big Reds have been getting strong guard play from juniors Girard Lewis, Javon Cooney, and Shalory Clark and from senior Tyson Thomas. While the guards may not be in the same class as last year’s standouts, Anthony Clemmons, now at Iowa, and Denzel Valentine, now at Michigan State, they all play hard.
“This team has a lot of fighters and scrappers,” coach Valentine said. “They go out and play hard and find a way to win.”
The backcourt received a big boost January 22 when senior Jeremy Williamson, a transfer from Jackson High School, became eligible to play. Known as one of the best outside shooters in the state, Williamson will only boost Sexton’s tournament chances once he is fully integrated into the team.
“Oh yeah, he [Williamson] can shoot it,” Valentine said. “He is a great outside shooter that will help our guard play.”
With the second round of the conference season due up in February and the state tournament in March, the Big Reds will be looking to battle it out with Holt for the league title and to get ready for another tournament run.
“We are getting better inch by inch and yard by yard,” Valentine said. “We have to do a better job of playing defense and a better job on the boards. We also have to make sure we execute on offense. This team has a lot of potential, and it’s all a matter of working hard and getting better.”