First, let's hit the books; then we'll hit the court

A 9-3 start indicates the Brooklyn Center boys' basketball team is solid on the court, but coach Ross Ihry's season long mission is to make his team better on paper.

Hoping to keep more of his players eligible, Ihry instituted a mandatory two-hour study hall each weekday before practices and games. With final tests taking place this week, Ihry will soon learn how much the two-hour sessions helped players. Despite his efforts, he expects to lose a few players to academic ineligibility for the second half of the season.

"This has been a battle as long as I've been here," said Ihry, who has coached a variety of sports at Brooklyn Center for nine years. "Trying to change the attitude of doing enough to get by to excelling doesn't happen overnight."

Players meet for two hours each day before practice or games and are expected to bring books or notes from classes. Sometimes the players work in groups, other times a few work together. But the point is to be doing something.

Sophomore De'Angelo Potter, who leads the team in scoring, said he has benefitted from the study sessions. He wishes he saw more commitment from teammates.

"The coaches get everybody in the room after school, but it's on the guys to do the work," he said. "We've seen a lot of improvement and some guys that are getting their grades up. But some are still failing because they aren't focused."

Test scores will provide some insight into the effectiveness of the study sessions, but Principal Bryan Bass already is applauding the concept.

"Teachers welcome the support any time a coach is involved in academic achievement," he said. "Coach Ihry is motivated to help these young people get themselves unstuck. He is very much concerned about these kids as students and not just as athletes."

Brooklyn Center's three losses, Bass said, can all be partially attributed to missing players who were benched for disciplinary reasons. By holdings players accountable, Ihry is reinforcing the idea that playing on a successful basketball team is a privilege, not a right.

Senior Sam McIlrath said players have to get the point.

"It puts everybody in equal standing," he said. "It sets the tone for everyone to be responsible. Even our best players have to do what's asked of them."

The Centaurs' brand of fast-paced, hot-shooting and winning basketball has helped them already surpass last season's victory total while filling the bleachers at home games. Larger number of players participated in summer weightlifting programs, and the team played a fall tournament schedule to improve familiarity on the court.

All that remains is building more commitment in the classroom.

"There's a lot more pride," Potter said. "Everybody's got it in their head that if we put our minds to it, we could go to state and win it."