Page 4 - Wayne Dispatch Pages

since I was in the eighth grade, and
BASKETBALL, Continued from page 3
last year was my final year because
CC: The act of competing athleti- one can only play through junior
cally is arguably as much mental as year. I played for One Nation, which
it is physical. How do you prepare is Coach Jarvis’ AAU organization.
your mind for competition? It’s a 3 SSB [3 Stripes Select Basket-
MH: Sometimes I like to be by ball; a leading youth basketball plat-
myself before a game. Solitude. form] program, so it’s sponsored by
That’s the main thing. Adidas. It was a really fun experi-
CC: What’s your idea of an in- ence, and I got really close with some
credible meal? Name the beverage, of my teammates. It was also great to
appetizer, and dessert. create relationships outside of the
MH: Chicken & shrimp alfredo court.
with a Dr. Pepper or strawberry CC: As you know, Wayne-West-
lemonade…and strawberry cheese- land Community Schools recently in-
cake or carrot cake. troduced competitive sports at the
CC: To the contrary, what’s a food elementary level, and basketball is
that I couldn’t pay you to eat? among the sports offered. Name two
MH: Brussel sprouts or cauli- things young athletes can do at their
flower. You also couldn’t pay me to level that will prepare them for play-
eat spaghetti on the second day [left- ing in middle school–and eventually–
overs]. high school?
CC: What an interesting reply! MH: I would say to just keep
You’ll probably find it quite unfortu- working hard every day—and don’t
nate that my children will be served take your foot off the gas. Don’t get
leftover spaghetti tonight. Moving on, discouraged. There will be days
what’s your favorite movie or TV when it is hard. Just keep pushing
show? forward. You will look back and be
MH: My favorite movie is Love & glad you kept going.
Basketball. My favorite TV show is CC: Tell us about your family.
SpongeBob. MH: My whole family [has sup-
CC: You had to know this ques- ported me]—my parents, my sister,
tion was coming: Who are your role my brother, my grandparents. My
models in the world of basketball? brother [Marvin Ham II] plays foot-
MH: Kobe Bryant, and I really ball at the University of Colorado—
like Mikiah Herbert Harrigan. he’s a linebacker there. He’s
CC: Being an athlete requires someone I take a lot of advice from.
that you shake it off—you can’t be He’s been through everything I’m
successful without it. What experi- going through now—high school
ence do you credit with teaching you sports, the recruiting process, etc.
the importance of perseverance? My sister [Bri’Anah Hightower] is a
MH: Pretty much just letting go of child therapist now, but she also
the past and focusing on the future. played basketball in high school.
CC: How did you come to select And my parents, who took me to my
Georgetown University as the institu- AAU tournaments and sponsored
tion to learn from and play for? my fees.
MH: Mainly it was the environ- CC: Where do you see yourself in
ment and the community that is in 5 years, 10 years?
[Washington] D.C. It was everything MH: I’ve been asked this question
you could imagine a college to be— before, and I’ve never really had an
the culture, the facilities, the city. It answer because I’m just living in the
has everything I’d want in a place moment, trying to enjoy everything
that I’d have to spend the next four that I can. I don’t like to look too far
years of my life at. into the future.
CC: Did Georgetown actively re- CC: Bonus question: If you could
cruit you? share any wisdom or lessons learned
MH: They did. They actually re- with your younger self—Young
cruited me when I played in an AAU Mayla—what would you tell her?
[Amateur Athletic Union] tourna- MH: I’d tell her don’t get discour-
ment in California at the end of July aged, all the hard work that you put
[2022]. in will eventually pay off. You might
CC: That’s awesome! Tell me not get everything you want, but it
more about your participation in certainly will pay off. And you’ll cre-
AAU basketball. ate a lot of relationships along the
MH: I’ve been involved in AAU way.
4 · May 2023 · The Wayne Dispatch