Unfortunately the Beachwood Boys basketball season came to an end this past Tuesday with a tough loss to the Southeast High School Pirates in Ravenna.

However, the team saw great improvement over the season and finished strong in spite of a largely young and inexperienced roster.

A major contributor to the team’s growth came from junior co-captain Nicholas Reese. 

Coach David Kransnow has been impressed by Reese’s leadership on and off the court.  

“The list of Nick’s strengths are long,” Krasnow said. “He has a great work ethic, he is athletic, drives to the basket very well and is a great 3-point shot.” 

Fellow captain Jacob Thomas agrees that Reese is an all-around skilled player.

“Nick has many strengths including his defense and playmaking abilities,” Thomas said. 

“One of his biggest strengths is his ability to shoot,” he added. “Nick is one of the best shooters on the team.” 

Nick acknowledges that he tries to help all over the court.

“I would say I contribute energy, defense with some offense, and overall a positive attitude to my team and coaches,” Reese said. 

Nick began working hard in the off-season to prepare for what he knew would be a challenging season. He focused on running and lifting and eating a balanced diet. 

“Last year’s team was one of, if not the best team in school history,” Krasnow said. “We had a lot of seniors with experience and we were very skilled and talented.”  

Nick kept pushing himself and his teammates throughout the season.

“The team environment pushes me to want to get better and better each day,” he said. “We all aim to have lots of energy at practices and to play hard.” 

One of Nick’s goals is to motivate his teammates, just as he was pushed to play harder when he was a freshman. 

 “Nick has pushed me to do better many times. If I miss a shot in a game or practice, he will encourage me to keep shooting and don’t give up,” Thomas said.

“Nick is a great teammate. He is always positive and is an unselfish player. Nick wants the whole team to play to the best of our abilities,” Thomas added.

In addition to his leadership on the basketball court, Reese is a strong student.

“One of my first memories of Nick is that at an open gym one time when he was not playing, I looked over and I saw him reading a book,” Krasnow said.  “I was so impressed with his intellect.  He is also a good teammate and good friend.” 

The high standards Reese sets for himself can cut both ways, though.

 “Sometimes he puts too much pressure on himself and tries too hard,” Krasnow said. “When he relaxes and lets the game come to him, he is almost unstoppable.”

Thomas feels that Nick’s contributions go beyond the game of basketball. 

“Nick is a great leader on the court, but most importantly he has a big heart,” he said.