7:30 PE Basketball Awards
7:30 PE demands commitment. One is to arrive at school early and exercise before anyone else’s day begins. After a challenging run up and down the stairs, the group comes together to play a sport. This semester, the students chose basketball in almost every class. Students brought effort and hustle to these games. At the last minute of every game, Coach yells “next basket wins,” wiping out the score that no can ever keep track of.
These are the award winners for the 7:30 PE Basketball Awards, decided by Collegiate’s Board of Trustees.
Coach of the Season: Coach Charriez
In a tough competition against only himself, Coach Charriez has taken the award. In games, Coach would give helpful advice like “pass the ball” or make fun of the players. Coach brought a much needed energy to every game this season, even offering to play Taylor Swift during games. He inspired rising stars like Izzy Kent, William Ostling, and Jonathon Pae and helped them improve their game. In the future, the team will continue to depend on him for advice and music in Varsity PE.
Rookie of the Year: Jonathan Pae
Johnathon ‘Johnny’ Pae had an amazing season. In the beginning of the season, Johnny was not used to the morning grind, often dozing off mid game. As the season progressed, his mindset and game changed. His handles are crazy and so are his finishes in the paint. His game is easily comparable to Luka Dončić. His shooting form is top tier. His confidence has also increased over the year, hitting the game-winning mid-range shot in the final game of the season. Somehow, he won the award despite failing his caffeine test in the middle of the season. There’s no doubt Johnny’s ceiling is high and he’s not even close to hitting it.
Defensive Player of the Year: Pablo Barrera
Coming into the 7:30 league halfway through the season, Pablo established himself as a defensive force. As an amazing facilitator, he manages to get back on defense before the offense is even set. His second game in the league, his glasses were damaged and “he couldn’t shoot for his life,” said Coach Charriez. However, his defensive abilities remained unchanged. Pablo can be defined by his hustle and motivation to keep the game going. Anyone interested in slowing down his defensive capabilities should consider ‘Tonya Harding’ him. Despite being a defensive force, he is not scrappy. His steals are clean and you can find him leading a fast break for his team. While he is not a shot blocker, it may become part of his resumé if he works on that part of his game this off-season.
Most Improved Player: Shane Murtagh
As a solid defensive player, Shane upgraded his game last off-season, becoming a 3 and D player. Shane had games where he just could not miss. Shane is the only player confident enough to consistently shoot threes in the league. There are rumors of Coach Voelkel offering Shane a starting spot on Varsity after watching Shane make 4 threes in the span of 2 minutes. Shane has had some cold starts to games, but, like 2 time Finals MVP Steph Curry, he manages to shoot himself out of a cold streak. If you guard Shane, watch the three point line and try to keep up with him as he scrambles to find a new open spot from three.
Most Valuable Player: Eli Dubin-Ramos
Jamaa Leader.
Taco Truck Ambassador.
Vice President of the Junior Class.
Accomplished Satire Writer.
Today, Eli adds yet another title to his already stacked resumé…
Most Valuable Player
There was no doubt that Eli was this season’s MVP. Like many great floor generals before him, Eli played with finesse and confidence. His teammates idolized him and his opponents envied him. After dropping 20 points in a win, LeBron James DM’d him, begging for him to sign a 10 day contract with the Lakers. When asked about this message, LeBron stated “I predicted this kid would be great when he first got a new food truck to come to Collegiate.” While balancing his intense workload and “that baller life” would be impossible for anyone else, this is light work for Eli; and reports have confirmed that he plans to continue his dominance in the league.
The competition for all these awards is growing with new players entering the league. Can these players run it back? Who knows. Players like Willie Nuttall have extended their contracts and will be a force in the upcoming season. Varsity PE’s game is constantly changing and improving. These players are ready for a new season.
Eli Dubin-Ramos