First basketball win sweet for Coon Rapids captain Becker

Coon Rapids senior basketball player Jeremy Becker said it all with a recent Twitter post: "37 game losing streak snapped #RedBirdsRose."

Becker, a 6-2 forward, and the Cardinals defeated Yellow Medicine East 92-72 on Dec. 28. Coon Rapids had started had the season 0-9 and went the entire 2012-13 season without a victory.

More than 140 characters are needed for the thoughtful Becker to express his admiration for teammates who stayed the course. He spoke to Star Tribune reporter David La Vaque about the relief, joy and pride triggered by the long-awaited victory.

Q: What was it like going through your junior year when you went 0-27 and lost 16 games by 30 points or more?

A: It was pretty hard, game in and game out, especially being a captain. We weren't always competing when you looked at the scoreboard. But when you looked at our guys after the game or at practice, we were busting our butts day in and day out. The guys who finished the season never quit on each other.

We all kind of realized that we're healthy high school kids that get to play one of the best sports ever created.

Q: Coach Mike Ogorek said when he got the job in May that you were the first player he met. What did you share in terms of your hopes for this season?

Q: Your junior year, you were also on the football team that did not win a game. How did you keep your sanity through consecutive winless seasons?

A: You know, it's definitely hard. I know kids from Andover and Blaine and it's hard when you have them in your ear or on Twitter and Facebook. But I was raised by parents who taught me that you're not always going to get dealt the best hand. You go with what you get and you keep pushing through hard times. You might not be winning games but you're winning in life and that's the No. 1 goal.

Q: How great was finally getting that victory against Yellow Medicine East?

A: I can't put a word on it exactly. We pulled away and were up big at halftime. We got to the locker room and I kind of looked at everybody and smiled. It just felt good. It wasn't just the fact that we were winning but it was the fact that I was winning with the guys who stuck it out from last year.

Q: But it was only halftime.

Q: I imagine you and the team are talking about this victory being a new beginning.

A: Exactly. We've got some hard teams coming up but I think we can turn this thing around. Our program, along with our school, is headed in a good direction.