While the temperatures outside continue to plummet, the athletes at Doherty are flying high as the 2024-2025 basketball season is in full swing. Take a walk with me as we look at the athletes and teams that are making Sparta proud this winter.
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Boys’ Basketball
The Boys’ Basketball season started with hopes high through the roof, a younger team than in previous years but still lead by experienced veterans, such as the stand-out X factor in the backcourt, Elijah Mack. Mack is a four-year Varsity starter for the Boys’ team and is widely considered to be one of, if not the best point guard in the city and recently hit the 1,000 career points milestone. Alongside Mack is another X factor at forward, Maddox Dee-Mortesen, who, along with Mack, has been a standout on varsity for four seasons now in the frontcourt.
Despite the experience and expectations, it all came crashing down in the early stretch. The boys’ started the year on an 0-4 run and currently sit at 7-7 through 14 games. The Spartans even lost to cross-town rivals Palmer for the first time in 10 years on January 11th.
Even though the struggles persisted, the Spartans did manage to pick up an impressive win over Cherry Creek at home. They’ve also started off their league campaign well with a dominant win at home over Pueblo West and will look to continue the momentum into the rest of their season.
When interviewed about the teams performance and chemistry, Senior forward Kaleb Foster said, “I think that it definitely could’ve been better at the start, we started super slow but the Seattle trip kinda brought the chemistry on the team together and were a lot closer of a team now”. Foster also spoke on his goals for the team and said, “Obviously we wanna win league, I think that this team is built to compete alongside anyone and i think that this team is capable of getting to the Coliseum, its just a more difficult road now.”.
We also interviewed Junior guard Gavin Gilbert and when asked about the chemistry he said, “Its definitely better than its been in recent years, we’re a much better team than we’ve been in past years in the chemistry part, it was rough to start but now were a together group and were playing well as a team”
The halls at Doherty are filled with optimism as everyone looks forward to the continued success for the Boys’, but the question isn’t “If” the boys will get into the field, but simply “How Far?” can they get, and will the experience filled roster get to dance at the Colosseum in March?
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Girls’ Basketball
Success runs in the blood of the Girls’ Basketball team, whether that be their 18+ year streak of making the CHSAA playoffs or their unimaginable number of league titles. Success has always been an expectation on the court here at Doherty, and that pressure only builds as the season ramps up.
So far this year the Spartans have been dominant, they sit undefeated in CSML League play and they hold 3 top 25 wins according to the CHSSA Seeding and Selection index. The Spartans currently sit in the #12 seed in the Selection index which would see them host in the first two rounds of the playoffs as long as they can keep the train rolling.
While things are looking bright, they’re still a familiar foe in the way, Pine Creek. Led by 4 star Oklahoma Sooners commit Brianna Stewert, the Eagles are flying high as ever, and the Spartans will look to stop them cold in their tracks. They’ll face off on the 4th of February at Sparta and than again on the 20th at Pine Creek.
When interviewed about the teams performance this year and what she believes has contributed to the success the team has been seeing, senior guard Maddison Medlin-Whittenborn said, “Nobody’s been playing elite to this point but its been a great team effort so far throughout the season, were playing well as a team and our chemistry as a team is high and that’s a significant contribution to our success”.
We also interviewed senior forward Elliana Adams about the feeling of being in a State Championship picture was, and she replied with,”It feels great, its a real compliment, after last year not getting to where we wanted to get to it feels great to be back in the conversation again”
With spirits high and the student body behind them the Girls will look to get back to the Elite Eight and into the colosseum in March. Will fate play its cards in favor of the Spartans, or will time tell a different tale?
