Building the New Era of Solebury Boys Basketball

The Solebury School Boys Basketball Coach, Cleve Christie, retired in the spring of 2021. In his 38-year career, he developed countless high school students into collegiate and professional athletes. However, his words of wisdom and legacy remain inside the gymnasium walls. These lessons have been passed down to his successors Greg Lewis ’04, head coach for the 2022-23 season, and assistant, now newly appointed head coach Keson Bullock-Brown ’15. With new coaching and players, the question remains: what will Solebury Boys Basketball look like in the next 30 years? It is time to create a new identity for the Spartans, beginning with the returning players and coaches this season.

Early Season Struggles

The basketball world understands that high school is where athletes determine whether they’ll be recognized in the sports history books. Each team is playing for a chance to win at the highest level possible, striving to win a championship. Still, the 2023-24 boys basketball season was set with challenges before it ever started. There’s an old saying— “It’s impossible to teach height”—because height graces your team with natural but astronomical advantages. Imagine the average height of your basketball team's starting five is 6 '4”. However, two months before the season, that average drops to 6’1” with the loss of a player. Other challenges included the new head coach, Keson, being entrusted to handle a new roster of players and developing a new culture among the team. While new plays and strategic game planning take years to perfect, Coach Keson had two months to figure it out. The team's plan would need to be rerouted fast to prepare for the December 1, 2023, season opener.
Coach Keson expresses that coaching is 24/7.

"The responsibilities of a head coach have to do with way more than just X's and O's and putting the guys in the right spot. Building the program has so much more to do with off-the-court scenarios that I wasn't privy to as an assistant." 

Coach Keson also discussed his goals for the new team's success and functionality.
 
“This roster has so much talent, athleticism, and speed that traditional sets and methodical half-court play wouldn’t help the team win.”

With such unique players, like Joell Idrovo ’24, Tyler Simpson ’25, and Makhai Anderson ’25, the standard point guard through center positioning system needed to be adjusted. Positionless basketball with a free-flowing system would ensure wins during the season. 
The season began with a five-and-five record, with the Spartans losing to big-name schools like The Peddie School, Westtown School, and Conwell-Egan Catholic. Coach Keson had a discussion with his team leaders, Idrovo, Simpson, and Anderson, to rally the team and get back on track. He expressed his appreciation for his players and the importance of their daily presence for the team's success. "At the end of the day, you win or lose with the players on the court. Coaches can organize you and guide you, but we are not out there playing with you," said Coach Keson. This conversation allowed players to simplify the game and play as hard as possible to secure wins for the team.

The Turning Point

 The Spartan's demeanor changed during the New Foundations Collegiate game. They won by 29 points and had multiple players scoring double-digit points. This win carved out a path of success for the rest of the season. As a new member of the Solebury Spartans, Makhai Anderson began to steamroll through the season, averaging 17 points per game, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. Joell Idrovo and Tyler Simpson also each reached 1,000 career points this season. In late January, Idrovo first reached this milestone with style by coming off a ball screen (pick and roll), drilling a long-range three-pointer, and securing an And-one (making a shot despite getting fouled). The crowd erupted, and the team stormed the court to celebrate his achievement. This moment propelled the Spartans forward as it was an overtime win on Solebury’s home court, with all of the community in attendance for our annual White-Out game.
Simpson described his moment as “nerve-racking” as he wondered if the night would be spoiled by a bad shooting night in front of family, friends, and fans. Yet Simpson went on to make two 3-point shots and a single layup but struggled to get his final point on multiple attempted shots. He solidified his 1,000 career point milestone on the free throw line in early February. Simpson is on track to become the leading scorer in Solebury Basketball history. 

Final Stretch of the Season

The season's final stretch began, and it was time for the playoffs. The Commonwealth Cup was first up, and the battle started against Shipley School. This formidable opponent pushed the Spartans to a back-and-forth battle. However, Solebury pulled away with the 60-57 win. The next game was a head-to-head matchup against Solebury's rival, Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School, in the Penn Jersey All-League Tournament. The intensity was soaring as Cristo Rey would come out with a tough win in the Semi-Finals. Yet, the Spartans still had a final opportunity to progress against Germantown Academy in the PAISAA Commonwealth Cup Championship finals, but sadly, it was another loss for the Spartans. 

Reflecting on this Season and Strategizing for the Next 

Getting to the Semi-Finals and Finals of any league is a reward in and of itself. The coach described the mental battles that progressively got harder as the season's end neared. “Managing social lives, school work,  and being 25 to 27 games into a long season, you could see the players' minds and bodies, wear and tear.” The season wrapped up with a record of sixteen wins and eleven losses. Both captains, Idrovo and Simpson, reflected on their seasons and believed in comradery. “The most important thing is family and knowing people have your back. We are a bunch of kids from all over the world who need to grow together and learn from each other because these are the players we will be going to battle with on the court,” said Simpson. 
While Idrovo expressed, “Be around your teammates as much as possible because having a relationship with them is important. Stay in the gym as much as possible and work to improve as a team.”
Moving forward, Coach Keson looks toward next season,

"We have a lot of young talent returning. I think this gives everyone the confidence that I (the player) have experienced it, whether firsthand or in the huddle.” … “The message to the team is to return to campus next year as a better athlete. As a prep school, Solebury can play some of the most notable teams in the country. So, the first step to returning to the finals is to handle the offseason preparation and create a new standard of what Solebury Boys basketball can be.” 

The long-tenured and historical legacy of Coach Cleve Christie and the short stint of Coach Greg Lewis has ended. Although the first season out did not fulfill all of the team's wishes, it was still an amazing step forward. It is time to create a new identity for Solebury Basketball, beginning with the returning players for next season.