Posted: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 08:42 AM - 11,103 Readers
By: Rick Cantu
What makes Lake Travis such a good basketball team year after year?
I feel like Lake Travis succeeds year after year because the coaching staff does an outstanding job of keeping the game enjoyable for the team. They motivate you to work hard, but consistently remind you that it's just a game. It keeps us loose and relaxed on the court.
What is your favorite basketball memory?
That would be the Killeen-Lake Travis game last year at home. We were both state-ranked and undefeated in district. It was the most crowded I've ever seen our gym . There wasn't a single seat empty, and people were standing six- or seven-deep on both baselines. We came out shaky, but ended up winning.
What is a bigger challenge — keeping up with academics or staying sharp for athletics?
Neither one is really that challenging because I actually enjoy doing both. However, I would have to say that preparing for an (Advanced Placement) calculus test is a little worse than a district game.
If you could have dinner with four people in the history of the world, who would they be?
I would like to have dinner with John Lennon, (author) Hunter S. Thompson, Thomas Jefferson and Albert Einstein because they have all fundamentally changed the world we live in today.
With all the success Lake Travis has had in athletics, how competitive is it just to make the team?
It has created an attitude where winning is almost expected. For the basketball team, this creates a tough situation. Every year some guys are cut who could no doubt play at other schools. The competition only makes us better as a team.
If you had a choice to be all-state or valedictorian, which would you pick?
I would pick valedictorian, only because an education lasts a lifetime whereas my athletic ability will be gone far before then.
What's the best advice anyone has ever given you?
My parents always remind me that regardless of the circumstances, through the good and the bad, your family will always support you.
If you bought a car that best matched your personality, what would it be?
A black Nissan Altima
Do you have any pregame rituals?
I don't have any special pregame rituals, really. I try to get a nap in on the way to away games, but I usually just end up listening to my music.
If you could take a vacation anywhere you wanted, where would you go?
I would want to spend some time in either Amsterdam or Bhutan, or both.
