K-M boys strive for success on, off the court

The Kent-Meridian High School boys basketball team wants to put its program on the map as a powerhouse this year.

“I think the team has a great mind-set and a great goal,” said sophomore Mahlik Hall, one of the team’s captains. “We all want to achieve one goal which is winning to make sure K-M is back on the map in terms of winning and having a good basketball program. We all want to change for the better.”

James Olive, who took over as head coach for the Royals this year, said he thinks that is an attainable goal.

“I have always known Kent-Meridian to have a good program even from back in the ’90s and this being a 4A school in one of the top leagues in the state, there is no reason why it shouldn’t be one of the top schools in the state in our division,” said Olive, who previously coached at Tyee and Hazen high schools. “I wanted to coach here. When the job came open I was excited.”

Olive said he hopes the team can win the South Puget Sound League 4A Northeast Division title and make a run deep into the state playoffs. He said the team’s schedule intentionally includes tough teams such as Franklin and Gig Harbor.

“I wanted to challenge them to play some of the best teams in the state,” he said. “They told me they want to go to state and so I said ‘To be the best, you’ve got to play the best.’ We are going to take it game by game and see what happens but our goal is to get these seniors… to state for their senior year.”

Last year, the Royals finished with a 10-9 overall record, including 3-5 in the division.

Senior captain Romaine Jackson said he thinks the team has what it takes to be successful this year.

“When you have all that chemistry together there is nothing that can really stop us as a team,” said Jackson, a point guard. “I know that we may not be the most talented team but we all have heart. We all want to win. That is the main thing that keeps us together and keeps us striving.”

Hall said he wants the team to be known for how they perform on and off the court.

“K-M boys basketball has gotten a bad rap for bad grades and people can’t play because they are not eligible,” he said. “I also want to change that so people can focus more on being student athletes, being students first. That will also help us get in to college.”

Jackson said he wants to be a leader for his teammates to make sure they succeed.

“Being a leader comes with a lot of things: making sure your players are doing well on the court and off the court, making sure they’re coming to school, making sure they’re on time to class, making sure they’re doing everything they’re supposed to in practice,” he said.

Hall, a shooting guard, said he appreciates the leadership seniors like Jackson provide the team.

“When I get older and I’m in their position I could be able to think back to what they taught me and apply it to my my younger teammates,” Hall said.

Olive said he hopes to instill core values in his players that they can apply later in life.

“The big thing here at our program is talent does not trump character…” he said. “Those are the kind of gentlemen I want because we talk about how they are going to be somebody’s father one day. They are going to be somebody’s husband one day. They need to start being more responsible to themselves, to their families, to what they want to do and it starts here.”