By Ken Hansard
The Blue Valley boys’ basketball team finished last season 7-0 in the Eastern Kansas League and 18-4 overall. They ran off 18 consecutive victories. But as great as their season was, it came to a disappointing end when they suffered a crushing loss to Olathe North in the second round at sub-state. On the threshold of a new season, the Tigers and senior Enoch Rodriguez believe that they have some unfinished business.
Rodriguez, who swings between the guard and forward position, posted some impressive numbers last season, averaging over 14 points and nearly 7 rebounds per game, numbers which helped him earn First-Team All-EKL and Second-Team All-State honors. He was additionally named to the All-Valley Conference Tournament first team. But again, that is in the past, and Enoch has plans for something even bigger as a senior, “I think our team is really solid, and we should be able to hold our own in both the EKL and in the postseason. Winning state as a senior would leave a mark that has never been done before.”
To help enhance the legacy he would like to leave, Rodriguez is staying focused on some important intangibles, “This is my last high school basketball season. I aim to enjoy every second with my team and the coaching staff. Primarily, I want to help out the youngsters. I want to be a leader who is humble and willing to compete at the highest level possible so the team can win.”
Rodriguez, in preparation for his final season, put in some impressive work in the off-season, “I worked on my midrange game a lot this summer, while playing against some NBA / G-League and overseas players. That helped me sharpen my game to hopefully play at the next level.”
Rodriguez, who describes his love of the game as “a gift from God,” enjoys golfing, fishing, and spending time with his family when he has time to spare. After high school, Enoch would like to study business finance, with hopes of one day establishing his own real estate business.
