By BUTCH HARMON
Thanks to a pair of four-year varsity players, the Holt boys basketball team is off to a strong start this season.
After winning the Capital Area Athletic Conference (CAAC) Blue division last year, the Rams have set their sights on defending that title and on making another deep run in the state tournament in March.
The Rams began the season with a seven-game winning streak. Key to Holt’s fast start has been solid team defense. “Our defense has been pretty good,” said coach Matt Essell. “We have been holding opponents to 54 points per game. We’re guarding people pretty well. We also have a pair of four-year varsity players who are playing really well.”
The four-year veterans give the Rams a strong inside-outside game. Senior Don’quall Jackson (5’10”) plays the point guard position, while Colin Jones (6’4″) is back at power forward.
“Colin is a good inside-outside player,” Essell said. “He has made our second-most three-pointers, and he is also a real good inside player. Don’quall leads us in assists and scoring. They are both four-year players, and they have started the majority of the games during their careers.”
Jackson is one of the Rams’ team captains, as is senior Tyrell Williams (6’3″), who plays a wing position.
“Tyrell leads us in three-pointers, and he is averaging nine points per game,” Essell said. “He is our third top scorer. Combined, the three seniors average about 45 points per game for us.”
While the Rams have a solid core of seniors, they also have some talented young players like freshman post player Jaron Faulds (6’8″). “Jaron just keeps getting better and better,” Essell said. “He has just had two double-figure games in a row. Things are starting to slow down for him on the floor and starting to click for him. He has been a big help for us.”
The improvement of Faulds and the rest of the team will be key for Holt down the stretch this season and going into the tournament, where it hopes to make another deep run.
“We reached the regional finals last year,” Essell said. “We played Grand Rapids Christian, and Drake Harris scored 38 on us and they beat us by five. We got a tough district and anything can happen. We want to win our district and then try to get to the Breslin. That is the big goal for us this year.”
Overall, Essell sees some differences between this year’s squad and last year’s team. “We are not as quick on the perimeter as we were last year,” he said. “This year we are a little longer. We don’t turn teams over as much on defense, but we probably play better team defense. We probably have a little more skill offensively. The guys handle pressure well and can get to the basket.”
One of Holt’s closest wins this year was a double-overtime win against Hudsonville at the Breslin Center during the Holiday Hoops Invitational. Another was the defeat of East Lansing on a buzzer-beating shot by Williams.
“We are trying to get all the parts working at the same time,” Essell said. “Getting that clicking is the biggest challenge. We won some close games this year, and we’ve gutted some out.”