Throughout the 2009-2010 season, OakHillHoops.com will feature personal stories from our players.

A Break

Senior Juwan Staten

March 4, 2010 — What’s up? It has been a little while since my last entry. We finished up the regular season on a good note with impressive wins over Benedictine HS in Richmond & then Oak Ridge Military Academy in Turner Gym on Senior Night. Our record right now is 29-3, and we still have the ESPN Rise Tournament on April 1-3 over Easter Weekend in Baltimore.

This is the last day of school before Spring Break (March 6-22). All the students are excited to go home & spend some time with family & friends. When we return we’ll have exactly two months before graduation. It will be a little rough since we’ll have two months with no traveling with the team except for the final tournament. We won’t get to leave campus as much. I’m not looking forward to that but I am looking forward to my birthday (which is the day before graduation) and graduation. We’ll also have the prom and spring sports.

That’s all I have for this entry. You’ll hear from me again after spring break!

J. Staten #3
“The Blur”

Throughout the 2009-2010 season, OakHillHoops.com will feature personal stories from our players.

Update from the Hill

Senior Juwan Staten

February 5, 2010 – I’m back everyone. I know it has been a while since my last entry. I apologize. I know you all have been wondering about life on “The Hill.”

We had a home game Wednesday night against Oak Ridge Military School from NC. It was a pretty good, competitive game for three quarters – very physical. We ended up winning by about 20 points. Our record is now 23-2 and we are currently ranked 6th in the nation, but still looking to move up.

Since our loss on ESPN to Northland, we have picked it up and we are back to playing like the cohesive team we were earlier in the season. Our game on Saturday at the Salem Civic Center is a big one, but another snow storm is headed this way so it may get canceled. We’ve already had four games canceled due to bad weather!

Next weekend we have a huge game on Friday night that will be on ESPNU against St. Patrick’s in New Jersey. As for life on “the Hill” – same as usual – school, practice, dinner, study hall, sleep. Although it doesn’t seem like much…it’s the most efficient schedule I’ve ever been on. It’s a perfect balance between school and ball.

That’s all I’ve got for this entry but, I promise to keep the updates coming sooner.

Juwan Staten #3/The Blur

Throughout the 2009-2010 season, OakHillHoops.com will feature personal stories from our players.

So Far, So Good

December 15, 2009 — Today is the last day before semester exams. It has been the toughest week of school since we’re all looking forward to Christmas break starting on Saturday. A lot of us have already packed our bags mentally, so studying for exams seems that much harder.

So far the season is going good. We are 13-0 and playing at a high level. We won our game at home last night by 24 points, despite playing without one of our leading scorers, Roscoe Smith, who was out with a twisted ankle. Keith Hornsby stepped in and we played fairly well.

As of right now, as a team, we are shooting the highest free throw percentage in Oak Hill history (but just barely). So hopefully, we can keep that up.

Our next game is Friday night at home, then we bus to Ohio and play Walnut Ridge High School and Cincinnati Princeton who has Jordan Siebert (a highly ranked shooting guard) that will match up against Doron Lamb (also a highly ranked shooting guard).

After the two games in Ohio, everyone is headed home for a few days for Christmas. Then we all fly to Portland, Oregon for the Les Schwab Tournament on the 26th – where we’ll face some more tough opponents. It will be a challenge, but hopefully the next time you hear from me we’ll be 20-0. Go Warriors!

- J. Staten
“The Blur”

Throughout the 2009-2010 season, OakHillHoops.com will feature personal stories from our players.

Staying Strong

November 12, 2009 — Yesterday was our fifth game of the season, and we played a school from North Carolina called Flora McDonald Academy. Despite having two players out sick (Pe`Shon and Marco), we played well.

The game was relatively close to start, but we soon dominated and pretty much put them away in the first half. We led at halftime by 30. The other team had a nice player named Luke Cothran (going to NC State next year) that had a great game against us.

Doron led everyone with 33 points, 7 assists and 9 rebounds. Three of us had double-doubles:  Roscoe 28 points and 16 rebounds, Baye 11 points with 15 rebounds (and 4 dunks), and I had 22 points, 12 assists. In addition to Baye’s four dunks, Roscoe, Doron and I all had one.

Our next game is Friday at home against Winston-Salem Prep. 5-0. Go Warriors!

#3 J. Staten “The Blur”

Throughout the 2009-2010 season, OakHillHoops.com will feature personal stories from our players.

Surprisingly Good

November 4, 2009 — Saturday (10/31) we opened our season at home against Central Carolina Academy. With most of the students gone because of Open Weekend, we still drew a pretty nice crowd.

From jump-ball on, we owned the game. We shot well from the floor and played fairly solid defense. Roscoe led all scorers with 24, Doron had 22, and I had 15. Baye had 8 blocks and 9 rebounds.

All the players and our coaches thought we played well for a first game. The final score was 100-55. Our next game is Thursday – first road game – at Winston-Salem Prep. Should be interesting!

Juwan Staten #3
“The Blur” lol

Throughout the 2009-2010 season, OakHillHoops.com will feature personal stories from our players.

Surprisingly Good

October 16, 2009 — Thursday was our first scrimmage of the year.  We played Bluefield College in VA.  The emphasis all week in practice was execution on all plays so that we would be ready.  As the time got closer and closer to 6:30pm/game time, I have to admit that I had some pre-game jitters.  I know everyone was a little unsure on how we would look after only eight official practices.

The gym was packed, as expected, and filled with little kids wanting our autographs and spectators with their cameras.  Once the jump ball went up, we pretty much controlled the scrimmage.  Pe`Shon started early with 7 assists.  A couple were to me for 3′s and a dunk, and some to Doron who hit a couple of jumpers.  We led by about 12 going into halftime, but came out the 2nd half and put them away.

Although I twisted my ankle in the first part of the second half, and I left the scrimmage with 11 points and 8 assists, the team took off.  Doron ended with a game high 33 points, Pe`Shon had 22, and Roscoe 23.  We won 114-92 and, for a scrimmage, I would have to say we looked “surprisingly good.”  With more time and more practice, we should be almost unstoppable.  Look forward to us doing big things.

-J. Staten #3

Heating Up

October 1, 2009 — So far school has been kind of easy.  The work load has been hard, but basketball season hasn’t officially started, so we haven’t been overwhelmed with anything.

This weekend will be the first time in about four weeks that I have been home.  I’m taking my official visit to the University of Dayton, which is about seven minutes from my house, so I consider myself lucky!  I can’t wait to see my family and friends, and having a home cooked meal won’t be bad either.

Monday is the first day of official practice and our first scrimmage isn’t long after that.  Before we know it, the season will be here, and we’ll be traveling a lot.  “Things are about to start heating up,” as Coach Smith put it.  I’m looking forward to it – should be fun.

-J. Staten #3

Coming to the Hill

September 16, 2009 — The first week of school hasn’t been as hard as I imagined it would be. Our whole day is pretty much planned out. One thing that I love about school is that basketball practice starts 7th period. That’s kind of a relief. It’s like getting out of school early.

Although the rules are very strict in my opinion, the hardest thing that I’ve had to adjust to is the “no cell phone rule.” I’m used to having my phone with me 24/7.

Basketball is going great. Practice, along with weight lifting, is running smoothly. It looks like we should have a really good team this year, so you can look forward to seeing us in the national rankings. I find it is easier here to keep up with my school assignments because of our mandatory study hall. From 8:30pm until you finish your homework, you have to stay in your room to study, which makes things a lot easier. So far, I can say that things are going great and I’m enjoying myself. I’m absolutely looking forward to our basketball season.