By Leo Corman ’15

I want to tell you the story of one of the greatest OBGC House Basketball teams to ever don a cotton jersey. I want to tell you about a ragtag group of misfits that came together against all odds to shock the world. I want to tell you about an array of skill, athleticism and swagger that could rival any ever assembled. I want to tell you how the path of such a remarkable team was ultimately derailed by injuries and snow days. I want to tell you about the Olney Mustardseeds.

At our first practice, we were truly a sight to behold: 10 ballers with no prior experience playing together looking to achieve something special. We were like the Miami Heat in their first season with Lebron, except we had more talent, and Hall-of-Fame coach Dan Weiss, recently emerging from retirement, along with rookie coach Mark Glaudemans, faced the difficult task of making sure so much basketball ability could exist on one court at the same time. While we had never played together before, we were already all accomplished athletes.

There was Owen, with a wingspan longer than a jet plane and a jaw line stronger than Tom Brady’s, who dominated the paint on offense and defense; Adam, a.k.a “Mr. Chill” or just “Bro,” whose post fundamentals were on par with those of Tim Duncan and whose free-throw shooting was the best in the game; Vinod, a.k.a “Handles,” whose off-balance front-spin shots baffled defenses game after game; Brian, whose unstoppable pull-up jumper and positive attitude never failed to give the team a boost; Jared, a.k.a “The Tank,” who set OBGC rebounding and shoulder-width records; Ethan, the defensive specialist, whose friendly disposition and cheery smile belied his tenacious on-court presence; Josh and Brendan, a.k.a “Those Jewish kids,” whose scrappiness and hustle made them exceptional team players; Michael, the league’s top three-point shooter and ankle-breaker; and of course there was me, the point guard who orchestrated all that talent.

Unfortunately, history will probably remember the Mustardseeds as the goofy team that finished last in the league and wore running shorts to a basketball game, but I’ll remember the awesome teammates that made a 3-13 season truly fun. Playing a sport I love with a great group of friends was one of my most rewarding experiences in high school, and in college I’ll look forward to using sports to build friendships and make connections with people.