Last year, the boys Varsity Basketball team was one win away from winning the region in the regular season, but ended up as first round exits in region playoff. It is safe to say the team is ready to bounce back and go after a state championship this year.
This will be the second season that the four star players from the class of 2026, Barryn Botchey, CJ Harper, Frank Jackson, and David Smith, will play together, as they continue to build chemistry throughout their years at Paideia. There will, of course, also be the veteran leadership of seniors Sharif Kemp, Niko Carpenter, Shane Ferrell, and Simeon Hartman, but the real question at the moment is: Who will play center this season?
There’s always a possibility current forwards Smith and Jackson, who each stand at 6 feet, 3 inches, could play as a big, but going up against teams in the region like Mount Vernon that have centers upwards of six foot, six inches; the loss of Kenan Orlovic ’23 may cause issues in the Pythons’ structure. Head Coach Eddie Johnson says “Kenan is a big loss,” but adds that Reggie Moorman ’25 and Harper are players that students and fans should look out for this season. Furthermore, Johnson says that the Pythons’ goal this season is clear: “State championship or bust.”
The Pythons’ schedule features home games against Decatur, Whitefield, senior night against Weber ,as well as an away game against Druid Hills. After last year’s win away at Decatur, the Pythons hope to win all of these rivalry matches in front of a loud Snake Pit student section. This new Pythons program has only gained talent, and all students are now anxiously waiting for (possibly) the most successful season in decades.
