The Enloe varsity men’s basketball team just finished their year with a winning record in the regular season in a process that Coach Andrew Bost described as “[learning] how to win.” Led in scoring and steals by junior guard Gui Wilkins, Enloe has made a name for itself in-conference through fast, physical, no-holds-barred play.
An Enloe basketball game can really only be described as one thing: ELECTRIC. The Enloe team is built around high-flying athleticism and a switch-heavy defense, which makes for an almost TV-worthy viewing experience. The intensity of the players can be felt in every single play, with Coach Bost saying, “The biggest thing that we tried to talk about is having pride.” And that pride is evident in how hard they play. This relentless style of basketball is exemplified by looking at the point differentials of Enloe’s wins. Enloe’s wins were often sweeping, with an average point differential of ~14.7 points. This style is also shown on the defensive side of the ball, with five players averaging over one steal per game. Also, Enloe does a great job of using putback opportunities to their advantage, often rebounding the ball into a shot or a drawn foul.
From looking at how the stat sheets mirror the games, there’s less of an emphasis on counting stats like assists and more of an emphasis on ball movement and self-creation. There isn’t a dedicated shot creator on the team. Everyone on the floor has the ability to create for themselves. This style of basketball, developed by coach Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs, is known as “beautiful game” basketball, emphasizing rapid ball movement and selfless team play. Coach Chapman and Coach Bost have implemented this style perfectly, using the relative structural equality of Enloe’s players to play basketball that is almost positionless.
Emphasizing the fundamentals of the sport is essential for any group of developing athletes, and the coaches clearly prioritize this in practice. In basketball, the most reliable shots are taken from 0 to 3 feet away from the rim. These shots are also known as layups, and a great way to practice them is with layup lines. So, when the other team is taking a break at halftime, Enloe is running layup lines, training both their rim attacking and vertical ability.
After an impressive season, we at The Eagle’s Eye expect great things from this team next year. Coach Bost says, “Every single moment of the game is precious if we want to win state playoff games and win conference championships.”
With how precious this team is to us, we believe in WINLOE 2027.
