By Jeremy McDonald
jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
KEIZER, Ore.– It’s a weird feeling for Steven Adams knowing that he’s the lone senior on the McNary Boys basketball team entering this season.
A first-team All-Central Valley Conference selection as a junior last Winter, Adams developed into a leader for the Celtics. Now as a senior, Adams hopes to build upon that for this season.
“It’s really crazy, it’s going to be a big year. I got to be a leader of this team, I’m the oldest. It’s crazy, all the people I was with freshman year aren’t here anymore, but it’s going to be a fun year. I’m pretty excited,” Adams starts. “The last year really helped me, (Head Coach Ryan) Kirsch told me that I’m going to be a leader of this team and I felt like that season really helped me and it’s going to help me this year.
“Just making sure that me and the guys are doing what they’re doing and having fun doing it. I love the guys, I love what we’re doing in practice. It’s going to be a fun year, we’re going to be good.”
McNary will be junior-heavy this season with no underclassmen on their roster this season and Adams their lone senior as they look to improve on their 14-11 overall and 6-6 in CVC play squad. Anthony Fuentes and Aydn Dallum are their lone returners who picked up All-Conference selections last season. Fuentes was a CVC second-team selection and Dallum was an CVC Honorable Mention selection, both as sophomores as both will look to contribute this season.
“I think it’ll be really important to start the season off strong and it will lead into how league play will go, that’s what we’re really looking forward to at the end of the year,” said Dallum. “My goal for this year is to keep improving on what I built last year.”
The Celtics open the season December 10 at home against Reynolds.
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
