HISTORIC RUN FOR 5/6 BOYS BASKETBALL LEADS TO CHAMPIONSHIP During the season, Sycamore School
games late in the season is was that our
5th/6th grade boys basketball coach,
players had confidence in themselves
Ryan Cox, wanted to make the players
and in each other,” Cox says. “We never
learn to depend on each other. It paid off,
got rattled.”
as the Sycamore’s 5th/6th grade boys’ basketball team earned the school’s first-
Building a team chemistry became an
ever boys’ basketball league title, winning
important piece to help the players
the Indianapolis Independent School
improve throughout the season and
League 2017-18 championship, beating
help them overcome some struggles.
the top seeded Orchard Owls in the finals.
“We have a no-cut policy at Sycamore,
A loud crowd of more than 200 traveled
so our team had very experienced
to St. Richard’s to watch as Sycamore led
players teaming up with some players
nearly the entire game and hit key free
that had never played organized
throws in the final minutes to secure a
basketball in their life. Through a lot
thrilling 38-35 victory.
of practice competitions, we created a
If you won that day, you got to wear
team atmosphere. I would make them
the bandana. If you hit five free throws
With Cox, who is also Sycamore’s Athletic
play with no dribbling allowed or only
in the game, you got the bandana. In the
Director and 4th grade teacher, the
one dribble. They had to learn to move
tournament, we hardly missed our
Eagles relied on a stingy defense and
without the ball, learn to set picks, and
free throws. In the championship
terrific late-game efforts all year, and
cut to the basket. They learned how to
game, we were 12 of 15 from the line.
again turned to those strategies to win the
play the game with each other. They knew
Free throws win championships.”
final game. “We won our three games in
each other’s strengths and weaknesses.”
the tournament by a combined 9 points,”
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Cox says there were many things that had
Cox said, noting the three-point win in
Sycamore struggled early in the season
to come together to make the season a
the title game, plus Sycamore defeating
with their free throw shooting, so Cox
magical one. He believes effort was one
The Oaks 46-42 and Greenwood
borrowed an idea from a college football
important attribute of their success.
Christian 38-36 in the tourney on the way
team to engage and motivate the team
“What I try to teach is effort,” Cox says.
to the finals. In the win over Greenwood
members. “We started the season shooting
“Some coaches say you can’t teach effort.
in the semifinal, Sycamore had to come
very poorly, so I came up with a plan
I believe that you can practice effort through
from behind with two minutes to go to
similar to Miami Hurricanes football
competitions. Our practices consisted
win and move into the championship
team’s ‘Turnover Chain,’” he says.
of daily fundamentals and then a lot of
game for only the third time in school
“I found a Sycamore bandana, and we
competitions, like rebounding drills, pressure
history. “The key to winning those close
used it during practice competitions.
free throws, and loose ball competitions.”
