The Tam boys’ varsity basketball team has significantly improved this year, with a current record of 15 wins and 6 losses and a Marin County Athletic League record of 4-5 as of January 30. With only two wins in the last two seasons, this year’s team has stepped it up by practicing more and working harder before and during the season. There has been a huge improvement not only in team chemistry between the coaches and players, but also in their skills and ability to move the ball up and down the court. The team has been working harder than ever to achieve and strive to get an MCAL championship. “We have been practicing hard and we don’t have anyone who is our primary scorer. Almost every game someone different steps up to help us get the [win],” said senior point guard Ethan Rosenberg.

Coming off a 1-13 season last year, they turned it up a notch and are continuously working to improve. “We have had a lot of guys working harder in the off season,” said senior center Michael Thomas. This extra practice boosts confidence and also helps them build team chemistry. With key player senior Jackson Floum missing almost the whole 2012 season with an injury, the players are happy to see him healthy and working hard again. “He is a great leader who gets everyone on the same page and focused,” said Thomas. Floum is leading the team in average points per game with 10.6 and in blocked blocked shots, with a total of 28 (almost two per game).

A big addition to this year’s varsity team was junior forward Lorenzo Jordan. Jordan has scored the most points on the team with 184, an average of 8.8 points per game. He also leads the team with 140 total rebounds, almost seven per game. “Lorenzo has been a great threat on the offensive end of the floor. He doesn’t stop playing the game hard and if his offensive game is off [Jordan] will contribute in other ways such as rebounding and blocks,” said senior shooting guard and three-point leader Darien Miller-Gowan. Jordan waited for his opportunity to show off his skills, and when that opportunity came, he took it. “At the beginning of the year, I was just trying to figure out my role,” he said. “I started by coming off the bench and would rebound the ball a lot and not really look for my shot. But as the year progressed I started being more aggressive and eventually became more involved on the court.” As time progressed, Jordan solidified his role as an integral member of the team. “I haven’t necessarily changed anything with my game, I just became more and more involved as the year went on,” he said.

Another key component to this year’s varsity team is Miller-Gowan. He is shooting 40% from the three-point line and also is a huge contributor on the defensive side of the court. Miller-Gowan has a total of 71 rebounds, almost four per game. “Playing with Darien is awesome because he is such a good shooter [and] it opens up a lot of things for our team. Other teams have seen Darien’s skills from the three point line, so even when he doesn’t have the ball, he is being closely watched. “He is the kind of player that is dangerous even without the ball because of his shooting ability, said Rosenberg. Miller-Gowan commented on his gameplay this year. “I have began to use my jumping ability to my strengths this year by driving to the basket,” he said. Standing at 6’1”, he is able to use his height to his advantage. “Also, I have been contributing as a big man by rebounding and blocking some shots to help out the team in any way I can,” he said.

The team is looking forward to the rest of the season, and many players anticipate a run in the playoffs, and potentially, a battle for the MCAL championship.