The St. Mary’s basketball team suffered through some lean times last season, going 8-17 in head coach Ty Amundsen’s first season.
Help looks to be on the way starting this season, as the Knights are bringing in a good group of freshmen, led by small forward Caleb Simmons.
Simmons has been getting used to his new coach and teammates over the summer, bouncing around different tournaments. So far, so good for Simmons, as he’s getting into the groove of things.
“I love my coach to death, he’s awesome,” Simmons said. “Our team is young. We’ll be around in two years. At state, you’ll see us.”
At almost 6’4″ and 175 pounds, Simmons is hard to miss on the basketball court because he’s very active on both ends, not afraid to get in a scrum to get what everybody else wants: the basketball.
“I like to get my teammates involved,” Simmons said. “I like to get my shot, I like to win. Losing really bothers me, so whatever I gotta do to get the win I’ll do that.”
Because of his size and his athletic ability, Simmons is afforded the chances to do things some basketball players can’t.
“My versatility,” Simmons said. “My ability to guard multiple positions and feel comfortable about it.”
If you type in ‘Caleb Simmons St. Mary’s Basketball,’ you’ll find a number of sites talking about Simmons, pretty much giving him serious hype on his skills. I asked him if he really listens to what the word on the street is about him.
“To be honest with you, I’m not on the internet reading stuff like that,” Simmons said. “It goes in one ear and out the other ear to me, so I don’t pay attention. It’s just talk to me.”
When all is said and done, Simmons wants the Knights to become relevant again. He feels there in a good position to make that bounce back.
“I want us to be back where we once were with Jerryd Bayless and Channing Frye,” Simmons said. “I want us to be a powerhouse. Our girls team is right there. We need to get our boys team right up there too.”
