Basketball season off to strong start for UCMS

For the Unicoi County Middle School boys basketball team, the season's off to a strong start says head coach Nathan Arnold."The boys have shown great energy and commitment, and you can already see the progress from the work they put in during the offseason and preseason," Arnold said. "We are currently 7-3 overall so far."The coach noted that several players have really stepped up for this season, which has already included games with West Greene Middle School, Sullivan East Middle School and Johnson County Middle School."Porter Huskins has started all three years on varsity in middle school, and he's off to another great start," Arnold said. "He's a true leader — the kind of player who wants to win every time he steps on the court and sets the tone for our team."Arnold added, "Miles Gouge, an eighth grader, had a strong offseason and has grown into someone we can rely on in big moments. He's confident, poised and continues to elevate his game."Seventh grader Abram Nave is another starter for the UCMS Blue Devils."Abram may be a seventh grader, but he plays like an eighth grader," Arnold said. "He's been a dependable offensive option and brings a maturity to the floor that's rare for his age."Another standout is Marshall Byrd, who has had an excellent start to the season, according to Arnold."I consider him our glue guy," Arnold said. "A glue guy is a player who holds the team together with his attitude, effort and willingness to do whatever is needed."Marshall makes the extra pass, hustles for loose balls, plays tough defense and does all the little things that often don't show up in the box score but are crucial to winning basketball," Arnold added.Arnold also credited other players for big contributions to help the team, including Julian Champouillon, Aiden Phillips, Braden Sifford and Nevan Sifford."Each of them brings something valuable to the group, and their growth has been important to our early success," he said.Arnold is in his first year as the team's head coach and wants to build on the team's success, which included a conference championship last season."This eighth-grade group has a special track record," he said. "They won the conference championship in both their sixth- and seventh-grade seasons, and they're working hard to complete all three years of middle school as back-to-back-to-back conference champions. What makes their success even more impressive is that they've had three different head coaches during their time in middle school and have continued to excel through each transition."The players also have additional support, according to Arnold."I give a lot of credit to their families and parents at home — their support, encouragement and commitment have played a huge role in the consistency and character this group shows on and off the court," Arnold said."I'm truly thrilled to coach this group, and I'm grateful to have outstanding assistant coaches in Robbie O'Dell and David Arnold," he added. "Their dedication and teamwork have been instrumental in helping our players succeed."