The Raiders’ role model
Adrian Wasnak (1) is a veteran leader with the Holy Cross Raiders senior boys basketball team.
As a three-year veteran of senior basketball at Holy Cross, Adrian Wasnak knows what his role is on the team.
“Being a third-year guy, some of the younger guys on the team look up to me so I have to try and be that role model and lead everyone,” the 17-year-old said Wednesday following a 62-35 loss by the Raiders to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in Niagara Catholic Athletic Association league play. “It’s not scoring, but mentoring kids and talking them up.”
It’s a role the point guard is comfortable and familiar with.
“I always felt like I was a leader,” he said. “In Grade 10, when I was captain of the junior team, I alway felt that leadership role.”
He is doing it in a sport he loves.
“I like everything about it; going up and down the floor, getting into it with other guys and the joy of playing it,” he said.
Wasnak doesn’t play travel basketball and his only other sporting passion is soccer. Basketball has always been a big part of his life.
“In elementary school, I grew up playing, and it was one of the few sports I liked,” he said. “In high school, in Grade 9, I was a smaller kid and I debated playing and then I kind of fell in love with the game.”
He is an important piece of the Raiders team. Last week, he led his team in scoring at the Standard High School Basketball Tournament, averaging 14.5 points per game.
“He’s a 12B so he is our biggest supporter,” Holy Cross head coach Mike Hendrickse said. “He encourages our team to always play their best and he is a smart player.”
The 5-foot-11 point guard also provides the Raiders with valuable experience.
“He has been playing for the last four years so he knows the plays and he knows what we are trying to do as a whole basketball team,” he said. “And he is at every practice and he is a good role model.”
After high school is done, Wasnak is planning to head to college and has applied to Fanshawe, Lambton and Niagara.
Notre Dame improved to 2-1 in NCAA league play Wednesday with the win while the Raiders fell to 0-3.
“We have some returning players from last year and we have been losing some close games the last couple of weeks, but hopefully by the time Christmas finishes, we will be in a position where we can win those games,” Hendrickse said
He likes a lot about his team.
“They work hard, they listen, they’re dedicated, and they come to practice ready to work,” he said.
There are also things the Raiders need to work on.
“We have trouble finishing around the rim, our foul shooting needs to improve, and we are not a very good three-point shooting team, but the guys hustle and they want to learn,” Hendrickse said. “We are hopefully going to be ready to play our best basketball come playoffs.”
Wasnak feels his team needs to relax.
“Especially with some of the guys who haven’t played senior ball, they get a little anxious and nervous in close games,” he said. “We have to focus, slow the game down, and try and win those close games.”
STATS PACK
Irish 62 Raiders 35
Johnny Rocco’s/Mick and Angelo’s Player of the Game: Notre Dame’s Andrew Zezela with 17 points.
For the Notre Dame Fighting Irish: Zezela 17; Jesse Rao 9; Shammar Campbell 9; Brandon Markowski 6; R. Valencia Cortes 5; Austin Cooper 4; David Jones 4; Anthony Cimino 3; Ralph Leroy 3; N. Coulee 1.
For the Holy Cross Raiders: Tinashe Dandato 13; Reuben Eshuis 11; Ibukun Gbengabanjo 6; Adrian Wasnak 3; Mohammed Omer 2.
