WS Chronicle

Photo by Timothy Ramsey

BY TIMOTHY RAMSEY 

THE CHRONICLE

One of the age-old strategies in the game of basketball is to play inside out.  Many teams try to implement this style of play, but the Reagan Raiders live by it.  Their duo of Patrick Travatello and Trevor Willard gives them a one-two punch that is difficult to handle on both ends of the floor.

Willard, a freshman, says he has been playing basketball for the last four years.  Travatello, sophomore, says he began playing at age 6.  Willard said he just loves playing any sport with a ball, and for Travatello, the competitiveness and fun of the game was the biggest draw for him.

The two players play very well off of one another in the front court.  Willard said the two of them became closer with one another throughout the season.  He thinks their friendship off the court translates on the court as well.

“In practice we always push each other as hard as we can go,” Travatello said.  “We help each other out if we do something wrong and make sure we correct our mistakes.”

For Willard, he says he knows he needs to work on his aggression on the boards.  He also said he needs to work on his footwork in the post.  Travatello says his quickness and defense off the dribble are the biggest deficiencies in his game.

“I have definitely enjoyed coaching them thus far during the season,” said head coach James Stackhouse.  “In my opinion, I think Trevor is the hardest working JV big man in the county and I think Patrick plays with a higher basketball IQ than any other JV big man in the county that I’ve seen so far this season.”

“Whenever we are getting the ball into their hands, good things happen.  Whenever they are controlling the boards like they are supposed to, good things happen. Whenever they are running the court and giving 100 percent, good things happen.  So we try and make them the bread and butter of what we do.  We always talk about an inside out approach, and that doesn’t always happen, but when it does things usually pan out for us.”

Travatello says he thinks his team has played well throughout the season.  He said even when they lose, they try to learn from their errors.  Willard thinks that there is always room for improvement with his team.  He says the help of his coach and the bonding with his teammates will lead to more victories.

Travatello said he enjoys history class in school because he likes learning about the past. Willard said his favorite subject is math because he loves numbers. Travatello would like to attend the University of South Carolina and study sports marketing.  Willard’s dream is to attend a big university and become a plastic surgeon upon graduation.

Stackhouse went on to say that he doesn’t like to put limits on people, so for his players, he thinks they can go as far as they wish.

“I think either one of them can go as far as their work ethic and talent will take them, particularly their work ethic because I think they have a lot of talent.  It’s just a matter of them falling into the right situation on the varsity level and potentially beyond,” said Stackhouse.

“They are well-mannered young men that have obviously been raised right.  They are hard workers in practice and in the classroom as well.  If they continue to work in the classroom like they do in the court, they sky is the limit not just in sports but in life.”