Moving forward with “vengeance in mind, a little hungry.”
That’s what KIPP’s boys basketball head coach Moody Bey said of his team’s mindset after going 3-17 last season. That said, and as we return to another year of hardwood and highlights, the Panthers are present and accounted for.
Bey, who was the junior varsity coach last year as well as a varsity assistant, is embarking on his first season at the head coaching helm. He says he has a good relationship with the majority of the returning players, and is impressed with the action he’s seen thus far.
“I’m really excited about this group because of how young they are,” Bey said. “We’re better than what we expected. I’m pleasantly surprised at the progress we’re making the first two weeks of the season.”
Not only is he excited about the youthful energy and initial reactions to his team’s play, but he added that he’s mostly looking forward to seeing his players’ growth from the spring and fall AAU seasons.
Taking over for coach Brian Tobin, who Bey believes goes hand-in-hand with KIPP basketball and was immensely important in player development, there’s a lot on Bey’s plate. But even though the Panthers escaped last season with just three wins, that doesn’t necessarily mean it was a failure.
“[We had] some tough nights, but also seeing some success whether it’s for a quarter, whether it’s for a half, whether it’s for a whole game,” Bey said. “Just knowing they can play at that level.”
He mentioned how tough last season’s schedule was as the team “really loaded up,” according to Bey, and that it was “a little brand new.”
“We were taken for surprise,” Bey said. “We got beat up pretty bad, but most importantly, we learned from it.”
Something else that didn’t help: the pandemic. Last season was the first to come back after a year away, but fast forward to today, and Bey said the team is ahead of schedule regarding development.
“We really started at ground level zero,” Bey said of last season. “This season, we’re able to pick up where we left off.”
An identity is important for any team. For KIPP, Bey guarantees his group will “hang their hat” on effort.
“There still may be a little bit of a skill gap, but I think from night in and night out, every time we step on the court, whether it’s practice, [or a] game, we are gonna be the hardest working team on the court,” Bey said. “It doesn’t matter who we’re playing.”
With how the game of basketball is trending, Bey said things are becoming more and more positionless. That, on top of a fast offensive pace, are some things to watch out for when the Panthers come to town.
“We have our big men who can shoot threes, our guards who can post up,” Bey said. “Across the board, we’re gonna play really fast.”
When asked about some high hopes regarding the roster, Bey was quick to respond. On top of veterans Vic Mafo and Juan Setalsingh, who is currently injured, he added that there will be some surprises when it comes to the young players.
“We have a really good core and we have some really different guys who flew under the radar last year,” Bey said.
Paramount to any team’s success are the practices, to which Bey described in two words: really competitive.
“It gets me excited. Hey, if this is how we compete against each other, I can’t wait to see what happens when somebody in a different uniform comes to our gym,” Bey said.
When talking about games he has circled on his calendar, his response was Belichick-esque.
“Right now, I’m just excited for Friday. That’s the game I have in mind; that’s the only game I’m focused on,” Bey said.
Friday night is against Northeast Metro at KIPP’s main gym with tip-off set for 6:30 p.m.
