Meet Jesse Sabolis

Before the basketball season started, I emailed senior forward Jesse Sabolis a couple of questions in order to get to know one of the key members of the basketball team better. Sabolis, who is second on the team in scoring, and first on the team in blocks as of Tuesday hopes to not only lead this team to victories over Keene, but into the playoffs as well.

1. Tell me a little bit about your basketball background before you got to Plymouth.

JS-I am from Stoughton mass, graduated on 2007, then went to New Hampton Prep for a post-graduate year finishing in 2008, and now I am here.

2. What was the most memorable moment of your basketball career thus far?

JS- Coming back from an 18 point deficit vs. Tufts my junior year

3. Do you have any pre-game rituals? If so, what are they?

JS- Music

4. Some players on the team have had three different head coaches since they have been on the team. For you individually, is it tough trying to adapt to yet another coach's style?

JS-I was part of the three different coaches. It's difficult having different coaches, but my teammates help us get through it since we still have each other at the end of the day.

5. How is Coach Novick different then last year's head coach, Coach Strahorn?

JS-The defensive side of the ball seems to have a lot more focus, which last year we attacked with an offensive approach.

6. A lot of the starters from last year's team graduated. Do you think that this makes the transition of getting a new coach easy since the system is completely different?

JS-Yes, definitely since there is a different coach and new players. It can be looked at as a clean slate.

7. This team is young, as there are five sophomores and three first years on the team. How will you make sure that this isn't a rebuilding year, and that this year will be successful?

JS-By hard work and communicating to these young players that the time is now to show success in the program.

8. What player do you think has improved the most since last year?

JS- Petie Skevas

9. What are your individual goals for the season?

JS-Beating Keene since we lost twice to them last year.

10. What are your goals for the team this year?

JS-Beat everyone who is thinking this to be a bad year for us. The returning players have massive chips on their shoulders.

11. What two games do you have circled on the schedule this year, and why?

JS-Jacob's Bridge Through Autism and Keene Games. The 1^st game of the season, my old coach of two years John Schienman has a son by the name of Jacob who was diagnosed with Autism at a young age. This is the last year this is being held, and PSU has only lost twice. We have to end this great event on a great note for Jacob and PSU basketball. Keene is self-explanatory; rivalry games are the best games.

Non-Plymouth basketball questions

1. If I were to look at your Ipod right now, what three songs would come up as the most played?

JS-Guinness Flow- Chiddy Bang, Slight Work- Wale ft. Big Sean,  Mr. Nice Watch- J.Cole ft. Jay-Z

2. Favorite food?

JS- Tacos

3. Who is your favorite team/player in the NBA/NCAA?

JS-Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder, Duke -Kevin Garnett/Kevin Durant/Jeremy Lamb.

4. Who on the team is the biggest prankster?

JS- Jesse

5. Coach Novick told me that one of the team-building activities that you guys did was a one-page autobiography, and everyone on the team received everyone's autobiography. What (and who was it) was the one thing that surprised you the most from reading the autobiographies?

JS-Conner Torrey passed an AP Euro Exam

6. Will there be an NBA season?

JS-I'm probably going with no, but we have NCAA basketball

7. What is your favorite sport to play/watch (that isn't basketball)?    

JS- Football