Jack’s a Dawg

Jack plays on our Next Play 7th Grade Blue team, a team that has a lot of team success over the past two years. The team is currently ranked #2 in the Zero Gravity Mid-Atlantic region, which means the teams wins a lot of games in local tournaments. The team doesn’t travel beyond New Jersey or Spooky Nook in Manheim, PA so it’s not on what they call the “ shoe circuit”, but the boys play great team basketball and won five games and a championship game with just five guys, led by Jack.

Jack is often the smallest player on the court every time we play. But you should see him play. Next Play Coach Mick McGuire smiled with pride when talking about Jack… “Jack’s a Dawg!” …a slang term used to describe toughness and playing with intensity. That’s high praise but Jack earns the respect of opponents, their coaches, and other teams’ parents every time he plays.

He’d remind you of a smaller former Philadelphia 76Sixer T.J. McConnell.

Jack played point guard role for much of the weekend, while he usually plays off the ball. Not only did he play well, he was the best player on the floor at times, controlling the tempo of the game, defending the other team’s point guard and best best player. He was a floor general and created offense for his teammates. He led the team in assists, had just three turnovers in five games, and turned other point guards over regularly. Rarely do you see AAU referees call ten second violations, and Jack caused two of them in one half with his tenacity on defense!

He was the best player on the floor and only averaged six points per game. That’s a lesson for all players. He was the best player and didn’t score much.

He defended, applied ball pressure, and disrupted the other team’s offense while by being a star in his role. He’s the kind of player who would rather rather assist on a play than take the shot himself. In this era at look at me and look at my social media, Jack stands out.

Jack didn’t make his CYO team last season. He’s three-sport athlete and good student at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy. He also plays baseball and soccer, and plays key roles on every team that he plays… pitcher, shortstop, and center back.

But this past weekend when the team needed him, Jack made his team great.

Jack probably slept in the car on the way home from Atlantic City. But don’t overlook and sleep on this young man.

He’s a great competitor and teammate.

He give 100% effort 100% of the time.

He plays the game the right way.

He’s a Dawg!