By Xavier Coles, Staff Writer
Reynolds has had amazing guests on campus from professional actors and musicians to professional athletes. In November’s Bobby Martin Classic, the Demons’ basketball tournament hosted tons of great talent like superstar high school players Harry Giles and Kwe’Shaun Parker. Tuesday, Reynolds is hosting another major basketball game. Both the varsity and JV men’s teams will be playing against an Australian team called the Stuart Sabres.
“There’s a company in Australia that sets up tourism games,” Athletic Director Brad Fisher said. “Their agent contacted me.”
This company sets up games for men’s and women’s teams during what is summer vacation for the Australian students. Australian squads have visited the Triad before to play Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School in Kernersville, but Fisher said “this is the first time they have come to Reynolds in recent memory. I couldn’t tell you if they have 15 or 20 years ago.”
Both varsity and JV men’s teams are playing against them, but the women are not.
“The girls schedule was full, but the boys needed one more game on their schedule and so they’re playing them,” Fisher explained.
The Sabres are not only playing Reynolds, but will be playing Northwest Guilford High School and other teams further West, Fisher said: “They’re not just traveling to Reynolds and going back.”
Not much is known about the Sabres and their style of play, but that doesn’t matter much to the Reynolds players, who are practicing hard so they’ll be prepared for this game and the rest of the schedule.
“We’ve been going at a higher intensity level at practice trying to make all situations more like game-time situations,” junior Raines Warren said of the varsity team. “I think we’re ready. I have faith in my team that we will come through and get the W.”
This is a special opportunity for Reynolds’ basketball players and fans to witness how international basketball is played. The JV-varsity doubleheader tips off in Bryson Gym at 6 p.m. on Tuesday. The Rowdies have planned a “Crocodile Hunter” themed fan night.
“I am ready to see how other people play the game from other continents,” Warren said.