The New and Improved Gryphons

By Zach Bourgeois

The Selwyn House basketball teams have always had a reputation for being entitled kids who come from silver spoon families and who always complained about the officiating instead of playing the game competitively. This was the reputation your very own Selwyn House Gryphons had, but not anymore. In recent years, the senior men’s basketball team coaches, Mr. Merritt and Mr. Adonna decided it was time to change this narrative, and they decided that last years’ basketball team, the 2018-2019 Gryphons, were going to change this. The coaches started by instilling a base level of toughness in all of the team’s players by putting them through intense drills, which consisted of taking charges and diving for loose balls in practice. After having implemented this, the results were very clear in game scenarios, as every player seemed to play with more intensity and with a chip on their shoulder. The new and improved basketball team would make a good run in the playoffs, but would end up falling short to Westmount High in the GMAA finals in what would be a very close game.

Although last year left a bitter taste in our mouths, this year, the returning players come back even hungrier. With a few new additions to the roster, the 2019-2020 Gryphons would be even tougher and more intense than the previous year’s gryphons. Although the main focus for this year was to develop the grade 10 players, the Gryphons still made the playoffs. They battled it out against Pierrefonds comprehensive in an overtime win, but would lose to Louis-Joseph Papineau in the semi-finals. This just goes to show that sometimes, it’s not in the stars. I am very glad I was part of both of the Selwyn House basketball teams that started this new tradition and I am even more proud to be able to say I was a Selwyn House Gryphon in the first place.