Senior duo Kenton Ferguson and Ben Ryan are considered leaders of the Hawks basketball team. Both have achieved great success at Lakeland High School, including their academic and athletic achievements.
Their teammates and coaches love both Ryan and Ferguson for their skills, work ethic and ability to help the team. They both bring up the team’s spirits and take control of the team while trailing.
Ferguson has enjoyed basketball for many years. He has been playing since the fifth grade. He got his inspiration from playing with his friends at recess in the years prior.
Ferguson’s basketball flame has burned brighter and brighter ever since, practicing as hard and as often as he can.
“Kenton is always one of the first in the gym and one of the last out,” sophomore Jaron Yager said.
This dedication has shown on and off the court. In the Hawks’ most recent game, Ferguson scored 32 points against West Valley, which was nearly half of the teams’ final point total of 74.
Ferguson’s dedication on the court has not faltered his grades either, being a student who is near valedictorian level regarding grades.
“I just make sure to get up early and go to bed late,” Ferguson said.
He is a prime example that hard work and dedication pay off. He is consistently a top scorer for Tony Hanna’s team and has developed excellent relationships with teammates. For a number of factors, Ferguson is a perfect candidate to play college basketball.
Ferguson is not only a great player, but is also one of the most beloved on the team for his cooperation and kindness.
Ferguson boosts the confidence of the team and gets them hyped before the game. He plays the pre-game music in the locker room and hypes his team up. At the same time, he keeps them in check, making sure they do not get in over their heads. This perfect split between hype and control creates an even more perfect team and a more together team.
“Kenton gets us going before a game by playing the music and keeping us in check,” Yager said.
Ben Ryan has been around basketball for almost his whole life, also honing his skills and abilities. He first joined a club in kindergarten, and it instantly became a core activity for the rest of his life.
Ryan pushes himself on and off the court, trying to be the best he can in all subjects. He has some major skills that can only be obtained through hard work and dedication.
Ryan has shown his dedication by being able to keep an average of about 10 points per game. His presence in the post on both sides of the ball makes him a reliable player for coach Hanna.
With dedication comes hindrances. Ryan has amazing grades and can accomplish many things based on said grades. But with his dedication to basketball, he finds it hard to balance both worlds.
“I just have to find the little time I can work on school and sacrifice a lot of my free time,” Ryan said.
Ryan putting effort in school work has not gone unnoticced by his teammates either.
“He really cares about sports, and in school, he tries his hardest, so he’s an overall good guy,” Sophomore Peyton Hillman said.
Ryan is so accustomed to basketball that he is a very reliable source to go to whenever another player needs help. His knowledge helps build the team and solidify their future. The knowledge that he gives to one player could be transferred to another with an unbreaking loop, making the team better even after he leaves.
“Whenever somebody is down, he is the guy that helps you up,” Hillman said.
Yager also added that Ryan always assists the younger players.
Both Ferguson and Ryan can connect and help others in ways that can not be taught or learned. They were raised right and are people who have kind hearts and strive to help others.
“If you are in need of assistance, they are willing to help,” Hillman said.
The team this year is looking promising, and hoping to make it a great last season for Ben and Kenton.
“I think we can make it to state and hopefully win a couple of games when we get there,” Ryan said.
Overall, both these guys are very similar, yet also unique. Ben always helps others and brings the team up, and Kenton puts in the hard work to try and be the best on the team and hype the others up for a game. Both share traits like loving basketball for many years, working together and with the team, and challenging themselves both academically and athletically.
They complement each other so well, making them a force to reckon with on the court. Bringing it all back to them possibly being a senior duo of a lifetime. They will both be able to make it far in life not only as influences for basketball but also academically.
