Tuesday night, in a crazy, loud, standing room only Emmanuele Pavillion, James Logan defeated Branson 54-49 to win the Boys Division I Basketball Championship and earn a spot in the Division I State Finals Friday in Sacramento.
In a defensive battle that saw double-digit lead changes, Logan’s fight, heart, and grit won the day. The Colts outscored the Bulls from Marin 8 to 1 over the final minute and a half. It was a true team win that reflected this group’s work and preparation — preparation that started long ago for these teammates.
Basketball is a team game created by individuals joined together by a common purpose. Each of those players arrived here from a different path — some were stars in elementary school. Others didn’t blossom until recently. For all of them though, basketball became a big part of life.
Win or lose, Friday’s contest will be the final game for this talented senior class. Three different members of the team, who also are part of The Courier, share the highs, lows, magic, and pain of their respective journeys through their basketball life.
1Jacob Campos # 2
Tell me about your first basketball experience.
I began playing in my middle school years at Cesar Chavez. On the team, I bonded with my peers and learned what it meant to work hard and be a part of a team. I most clearly remember blossoming into a leader and being one of the focal points on the team. I even had a couple of teammates there that I play with now at Logan.
What was your greatest accomplishment before coming to Logan?
My greatest accomplishment in basketball before coming to Logan was making a game-winner in my 7th-grade season at Chavez. This was one of the key moments that led me to fall in love with the game.
What do you remember about your early days at Logan?
My early days were full of hope and hunger for more. I was one of the leaders on the freshman team and was a co-captain on the JV team. We worked harder than anyone else did and the results would show on the court. I had a great relationship with my coach and our team worked as a unit. Although the hours of blood and sweat were rough, they were worth it.
What would you consider as the biggest setback in your basketball career?
The biggest setback in my basketball career was not being on the team junior year. I had to sit back and ask myself if I really want to commit and if I still loved the game. This setback was followed with a ton of work and ultimately allowed me to be successful.
As this highly successful senior year playing at Logan wraps up, what do you most want to remember from this season?
I will always remember the success we have had so far and will always feel blessed to be a part of it. I have gone from friends to brothers with a lot of my teammates and will go to hell and back for them. I will always miss game days and the rush of being able to compete night in and night out doing what I love. I want us to be remembered as state champions when it is all said and done, and it will most definitely be something I will go on to tell my kids and grandkids.
2Tim Oldham # 10
Tell me about your first basketball experience.
My earliest memories of playing basketball come from when I was 5-6 years old playing for the “Jr. Warriors”. I played with a couple of friends from the preschool I attended, and that’s where I developed a passion for the game. I remember the thrill and excitement of competing. Those are moments I will cherish for the rest of my life.
What was your greatest accomplishment before coming to Logan?
My greatest accomplishment in basketball before coming to Logan was winning a CYO championship while I was in 5th grade.
What do you remember about your early days at Logan?
My freshman year at Logan I played on the freshman team. That was my first taste of high school basketball and that’s when I was first exposed to how much time and effort would go into making yourself better. That year I learned a lot of basketball and life lessons, such as perseverance and determination. The next year I was initially on the JV team but was called up to Varsity during the beginning of the season. During that year, I developed tremendously as a player by practicing and competing against players that were older, stronger, and faster than me. That was the year that we went to the State Championship, and it felt amazing to be a part of something like that. Even though I didn’t really play that much, the whole experience was extremely rewarding and something that I will never forget.
As this highly successful senior year playing at Logan wraps up, what do you most want to remember from this season?
I will always remember the experience that I shared with my teammates each and every day. I formed unbreakable bonds and lifelong friendships with all my teammates, and I will cherish the time that I spent within the James Logan Basketball Program.
3Malcolm Steadman # 32
Tell me about your first basketball experience.
I started playing basketball when I was in the first grade. I was playing for a church in Union City called Saint Anne. I remember how much I loved the game when I first started playing, and it motivated me to work hard and get better at the game.
What was your greatest accomplishment before coming to Logan?
My greatest accomplishment before coming to Logan was winning MVP of the Stephen Curry basketball camp. That moment was when I realized I could do something special with basketball.
What do you remember about your early days at Logan?
I made the JV team and then later was moved up to varsity as a freshman. That was really hard for me because I was skinnier than most kids. It was tough but it gave me the experience that I needed.
What would you consider as the biggest setback in your basketball career?
I always want to be the best, so getting honorable mention in MVAL two years in a row was a setback for me because I put so much work into trying to get the MVP award. I try to perform like it every game. I kind of felt disrespected because it was basically like they were saying I didn’t improve at all from the year before. So my biggest setback was dealing with that anger and putting that energy into winning games and proving why I should have been the MVP.
As this highly successful senior year playing at Logan wraps up, what do you most want to remember from this season?
I want to remember the brotherhood the team had. Most of us have been playing with each other since the 8th grade, so at this point, we’re playing for each other more than the win.
