First, Vincent McCormic saw it with Battle Ground’s winning 3-on-3 Hoops on the River tournament. Next, he saw it during a 10-2 fall-ball season.
Not just winning, but team chemistry to boot.
“I was proud of that,” the junior guard said, “coming from a team that’s semi-new together.”
Chalk it up to a culture change new coach Manny Melo is instilling at his alma mater. It didn’t take long for the Tigers to adapt, and players are excited for something new.
“It’s a different feel from last year,” said McCormic, a team captain. “This year, all the guys are just wanting the best for the team.”
As much as the players fit right in, so does Melo, a 2007 Battle Ground graduate. After two seasons at Hockinson, Melo got right to work after his June hiring and gave Battle Ground a fresh start.
“They’ve bought into everything I’ve thrown their way,” Melo said.
Battle Ground might be young with Elijah Parker and Isaiah Cummings as the lone seniors, but the talent isn’t lacking. Six-foot-8 freshman post Kaden Perry already is high on league coaches’ radar, but expect the scoring to be spread around.
That’s something learned during the successful fall-ball season that’s carried over to December.
“Not just one person is going to go off every game,” McCormic said. “… We find the best option.”
