As the boy’s varsity basketball team continues its 3-3 conference season they have been faced with player injuries, leaving positions in need of replacement. Varsity head coach John Gilbert had players from JV ready to fill the vacancies.

“The big reason we had to move two JV players up was due to AJ LePage breaking his foot and Brandon Bossenberger getting hurt with a bad hip,” Gilbert said. “The team needed two more point guards to help out.”

Sophomores Alec Kussro and Trent DeGayner both play point guard and helped lead the JV boys basketball team to an 8-0 record. Their amount of playing time on the team led them to becoming the newest editions of the varsity team.

“On the JV team, I was the starting point guard,” sophomore Trent DeGayner said. “I think that’s why Gilbert chose me to be moved up to varsity because of the amount of playing time I received. I had a lot more minutes, so he was confident I was ready to play varsity.”

During the transition from the JV team to varsity, the two players were given insight from Coach Gilbert.

“They need to play hard like they’ve always done,” Gilbert said. “It’s important they fit in with the rest of the team. The goal for the boys is to play just like they were playing on the JV level and help us continue to better the game.”

For Kussro, getting moved up to the varsity team may have caused many different emotions.

“I was nervous going into the first game,” Kussro said. “It was a huge opportunity to be moved up, but I have to play with guys who are older than me and that I never played with before. In the end, I knew I just had to play my game and do what I do.”PHOTO Emma Senyko

At the home game against the Owosso Trojans, Degayner was given a starting position.

“Starting on the varsity team was a lot different than starting on JV,” Degayner said. “There were a lot more people in the crowd and the game had a lot quicker pace. The hardest part for me was how focused I needed to be. Staying focused and getting better along with the team is definitely going to be the hardest part.”

The team held the lead all the way into the fourth quarter. They ended up with a loss after Owosso outscored them in the fourth quarter, 54-47. DeGayner was the third highest scorer totaling nine points. The Tigers next game will be held at Flushing on Jan. 16, starting at 7 p.m..