While sophomore Beckett Boos is a standout cross-country athlete, his love for the hardwood floor is where he wants to be, dribbling the basketball and scoring points for his team.

Even though basketball is his love, school always comes first for him. “I take my school work very seriously,” Boos said. “I find extra time to do school, like staying after practices or coming into school early.”

Boos enjoys AAU basketball, but the one downside for him is the travel. “Sometimes the travel is pretty bad, like when we get to travel to Missouri, Arkansas, and sometimes even Indiana,” Boos said. “It just depends on what team you play for.”

While travel is one difference between AAU and school ball, there are other differences that separate the two. “It’s a lot different, especially the play style,” Boos said. “You don’t run any plays. It’s kind of just up-and-down freeballing.”

Even though Boos started on the junior varsity team last year as a freshman, he is determined to work hard to get some playing time on the varsity level.

During the summer, Boos would get into the gym after cross-country practice and get at least 300 shots up. “I’ve worked really hard to get where I am now. I can really see it paying off,” Boos said.

He is looking forward to this upcoming season to see his progress from last year. With some elite players coming back, such as seniors Joey Cabana and Jake Stephens, he hopes to be in the rotation and make an impact on the team.