HEM All Conference

The 1A Southeast Conference gave honors to three Hanna, Elk Mountain, Medicine Bow (HEM) High School girls basketball players and four honors to the boys basketball team. Shane McGraw was named 1 A Southeast Player of the year. The Sun interviewed them on their thoughts about playing basketball this year.

Jessica Nelsen

Jessica Nelsen is in 11th grade and said she has lived in Hanna all of her life. Nelsen said of the three sports she participates in; volleyball, basketball and track, she enjoys basketball the most.

"I like basketball because it is more of a contact sport, but also because of watching Haley Clark play as point, my freshman year," Nelsen said.

She credits her grandmother and father for their support as she has played over the years with not only basketball, but other sports.

"My grandmother convinced me last year I should go out for track because she told me I had gifts and I should use them".

Nelson said she remembers words her father said about basketball.

"After losing a game in basketball, I might start feeling a little bad, he would say 'you miss one hundred percent of the shots you don't take,' so it has inspired me to at least shoot more," Nelsen said.

Being a team player, Nelsen said her best moment in basketball happened last year when the Lady Miners were tied with seconds to go and a teammate hit the winning shot.

"It was a moment where all of the team was so happy and it really is one of my best memories," Nelsen said.

She has only praise for her coach.

"I have had Mrs. Jones for a coach throughout my high school years and she not only explains, but she will also show us the actual exercise," Nelsen said. "She will sometimes show us a different way of doing something by actually doing it."

Nelsen said her coach has good basketball skills saying, "We did this box out drill and she always catches the shots," Nelsen said. "So we are trying to recruit her to be a senior."

Nelsen said when she graduates she wants to go to school to learn interior design.

Amy Campbell

Amy Campbell has lived in Hanna her entire life. She has a twin sister, Madison, and the two have been playing sports together since Campbell can remember. She is a freshman. Campbell said basketball and volleyball were equal in how much she liked each sport.

"I just love sports," Campbell said. "I don't know what life would be without them."

She said Madison, her father and coaches over the years have helped her learn to enjoy basketball as much as she does. Campbell said playing high school level basketball versus junior high has made impact.

"Coming up from junior high and playing at that level and then coming to high school and playing on this level, it is a whole new experience," Campbell said. "It is a lot different."

She said Coach Jones has helped her make the transition to playing high school basketball.

"I think she is amazing, and I am not just saying that, because she always seems to know what to say at the time." Campbell said. "She pushes me hard even though I am just a freshman. She says that we should try do our best even if we are young and freshmen and sometimes I need to hear that."

Campbell has set her education to center around sports therapy. She said she can't imagine doing anything else.

Taylar Scott

Taylar Scott is a freshman that has lived in Medicine Bow for four years and before that she lived in Douglas for eight years. She started playing basketball when she was in third grade.

"We had our recreation league in Douglas and also made up our own teams, so I was playing a lot," Scott said. "My dad got me involved when I was young.

Her ball handling skills had her being the point guard as the season marched on.

Coach Jones said she was impressed with the skills Scott had at such a young age.

She said basketball and volleyball are equal in how much she likes playing each sport. Scott credits HEM graduate Cheyenne Tomkins as someone she watched and admired when she watched her play for the Lady Miners. Scott said her parents have supported her in all her sports activities.

She said basketball is exciting because when she has hit a three pointer, she has felt the team get confidence and momentum can change.

Scott said her present coach is the best she has had.

"I love her," said Scott. "She is like a second mom basically."

Although she is in ninth grade, Scott says she knows she would like be a vet when she finishes her schooling.

Tylor Goodro

Tylor Goodro is in 11th grade and has lived in Hanna for 14 years. He enjoys basketball and says he likes playing the sport to keep in shape, but his favorite sport to play is football.

"I use basketball to not only keep in shape, but basketball pushes me to have higher intensity which helps me in other sports, whether it is football or track," Goodro said.

He enjoys sports for the overall activity it provides and for the social side of playing with others and the team aspect.

"You get to play with people you have grown up with and it really is fun," Goodro said. "I find sports help you get along well with more people. We are a small school and everyone knows everybody and sports can build a chemistry between people."

He said there are no strangers in a school like HEM.

Goodro credits his mother for supporting him with all the endeavors he pursues.

"She has been there my whole life and I have to say, she is one of my greatest fans," Goodro said.

He said sports has been an excellent experience because of the confidence it has built as he has made all conference in basketball in his freshman, sophomore and junior years. He hopes to do it again in his senior year. He said making all conference for quarterback this year was also a big deal.

Goodro said all the coaches he has are excellent. He said they all instill a common theme.

"Try your best in everything and to succeed the best way you can is what all of them say, and that is not just sports, but also education," Goodro said.

His plans for after high school are to find a way to go into the welding field. Still he isn't ruling out going on to college. Goodro said he still has to see what the future brings.

Brendon Reeves

Brendon Reeves is in 10th grade and has lived in Medicine Bow for his entire life. He said he lives and breathes basketball and it is his favorite sport. He has been playing and watching NBA since he can remember.

"Michael Jordan is my favorite player of all time, and some of that is because I am a huge Chicago Bulls fan," Reeves said, "But I also love players like Josh Adams from the University of Wyoming and players like that. I really look up to those guys because they play for their school and I would like to do that when I graduate from high school."

Reeves said his family influences him on how he approaches life. When he talks about family, he is talking about parents, grandparents and great grandparents.

"All of them, especially my great grandparents are always supportive," Reeves said. "When I was young, like before I turned nine, I spent the night at my great grandparents home almost every night, so I am close with them."

He said his parents were basketball players and his mother was an exceptional athlete, so he knows their influence and genetics are why he enjoys basketball as much as he does.

"I just grew up with a basketball in my hand since I think was one," Reeves laughed.

Reeves said hitting two three pointers in a row against Rock River last year was a confidence booster while playing this year.

He said playing football this year, trained by head coach Zack Scott, who is assistant basketball coach and vice versa with Cliff Jones being assistant coach in football and head coach in basketball made for an excellent experience.

"It is awesome because you get multi-sport coaches and you have them all year, so you get the coach to player friendship, but also the person to person friendship," Reeves said. "Plus they are teachers, so you build a strong bond with them in many ways."

Conor McGraw

Conor McGraw is in 10th grade and has a twin brother ,Shane. He came to Carbon County in 2006 and the family moved to Hanna three years ago after the family left a ranch in Medicine Bow.

Conor is torn to say one sport is his actual favorite, but concedes playing football is the sport he enjoys the most.

This doesn't mean basketball is not a sport he doesn't take pleasure in. His favorite players are old timer NBA players like Larry Bird. He said his brother and friends are a strong reason why he started playing basketball.

Conor said his family has been supportive in all the sports he has participated.

He said going into the Events Center in Casper playing in the state tournament is something that was one of his best memories when he looks back at playing basketball.

Conor is happy to have the same coaches year round for the different sports.

"It's fun and it is nice to have the same coaches around during the time all three different (football, basketball, track) sports," he said. "Because you know them and they know you and I feel comfortable asking any of them questions."

He said although there is a friendly competition between brothers when they play against each other, but when they play on the same team, Conor is happy when Shane gets recognition for his abilities.

Shane McGraw

Shane McGraw is in 10th grade and was named Southeast Player of the year in the 1 A Southeast Conference.

He said his favorite sport is whatever he is playing at the time. Shane did admit basketball had appeal to him because the sport allowed the team to play more games than football.

"You get the opportunity to build more chemistry with the more games you play and the trips you take together, so you get to hang with your friends and it builds bonds," Shane said. "Basketball is really good for friendships."

Shane did say a major influence in the intensity of how he plays is often dictated by how much he wants to beat his brother Conor in their friendly rivalry.

"We just push ourselves in every sport and it can be insane about the things we make bets about and just be cocky to each other," Shane said. "He makes me take it up a notch."

Shane said his father and grandfather both played in the NFL and that influences him to try as hard as he can because he sees how hard work in a sport can pay off.

"I'd like to prove that I can do that to and sort of keep the tradition going in the family," Shane said.

He said his first dunk was this past summer and it will be something he remembers to come. Like his brother, going to State is something he will look back at with great memories.

Shane enjoys having Scott and Jones both coaching football and basketball although they switch off on who is head coach.

"It is really cool because they both bring different aspects to the game," Shane said. "For basketball, Mr. Jones is more defensively and post defense-offense, where Mr. Scott is more offense like guard wise and guard defense, but both agree on running and gunning and pushing the ball."

Shane said now that basketball is over he is looking forward to track and working with Jackie Jones, the head coach of track.

"Mrs. Jones is a phenomenal track coach and I have to mention when we would practice next to the girls basketball team, her intensity and knowledge of defense was inspiring," Shane said. "We have great coaches at HEM."

Shane finished saying the team was young, but the next couple seasons the Miners were going to only improve.

"We have so much untapped potential that we all know we have, but we just haven't pulled it out yet," Shane concluded. "Just wait and you will see."

 

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