A Look Into Del Norte’s Varsity Boys Basketball
During the 2019-2020 season last year, the boys varsity basketball team achieved a 16-12 record. “It was a pretty good season. We definitely had our ups and downs on the court but it’s done nothing but bring us closer together as a family,” said Nico Peerenboom, a starting sophomore at the time. He also mentioned that the team went through a rough patch in the beginning of the season but had a turning point after the tournament in Hawaii.
The tournament took place a week before Christmas, and provided a great opportunity to ball and sun tan for the varsity team. Inevitably, the players had nothing to do but bond, which improved their overall team chemistry, translating into the games. “It was like there was this whole new comfort in our style of play,” Peerenboom said. As a player, Peerenboom became more confident with his teammates which allowed him to take more shots and move the ball around the court more.
But for Peerenboom, as an underclassman, the experience at times was more nerve-racking and intimidating than fun and exciting. “It challenged me not only physically but mentally as well. The pace of the game was faster and more aggressive than what I played in freshman year,” Peerenboom said. From playing kids his own age to kids in one or two grades above him, it took Nico about “eight games” to fully adapt. There was a new style of play, a large crowd in the stands, and a new varsity environment to get used to. He made 41% of his shots, took 5-6 shots per game, and had about 3.5 rebounds every game.
For the team as a whole, Peerenboom recounts the best game of the season to be the game against San Diego High School in the second round of CIF playoffs. “The game had a whole new level of intensity which came from both sides of the court,” Peerenboom said. By the end of the third quarter, the game was tied 31-31. All the stress build up and anxiety led to a crazy and passionate atmosphere during the fourth quarter. The crowd was erupting. But unfortunately for Peerenboom, as the game came closer to an end, a star player from the other team sealed the game with two threes and a layup. The final score was 52-45 San Diego. Disappointed, Peerenboom and his team kept their heads up. “Even though it wasn’t the result we wanted, we still could say that it was the end to a very fun and thrilling season,” Peerenboom said.
Reminiscing over his first year on varsity, Peerenboom describes it as an unbelievable experience and can’t wait to get back out for his junior year. “The support had such a powerful impact on our performance and we loved having you guys out there,” Peerenboom said, in response to all the positive compliments the team received after their successful season.
With next season scheduled for the spring, Nico hopes to become more of a leader on and off the court. “I want to be a voice for my team who can demonstrate hard work and grit in games,” Peerenboom said. His personal goals for the upcoming season include increasing his field goal percentage, taking more shots, and getting more assists/rebounds. “I’ve been working hard in quarantine to show up in the spring season as a game changer. Also, as a junior now at 6’4”, I’m trying to bang it on someone’s head (dunk),” Peerenboom said.
With all the delays in sports seasons, the spring season is going to be jam-packed with various sports. But the future holds promising for the varsity basketball team. Make sure to make your way out to a game or two, as now junior Nico Peerenboom guarantees an eventful and unpredictable season.