In his eleventh season as a head coach, but his first season at Gore, TW Estes was waiting in the wings for a number of players on his roster to join practice as the Pirate football team reached the state championship game.
As the sounds of shoulder pads popping turned to balls bouncing off the hardwood, the Pirate boys’ basketball team registered two practices before the start of the season.
“We opened the season with four games in six days on two days of practice,” explained coach TW Estes, the former Salina head coach. “So needless to say, we were and still are, at times, learning on the fly. We have been able to have some quality days of practice over the last few weeks but still have a long way to go to be where we need to be by District play.”
The delay in hitting the practice court has put the Pirates behind other teams that have benefitted from more practices and even games.
It may not show with a 6-2 record to start the season but in the two losses to Stigler and Vian coach Estes could feel the impact.
“We were exposed and showed our weaknesses at this point,” expressed coach. “Football playing in the state title game has put us behind everyone else in practices and games, but we have hit the ground running and getting better with each day.”
Senior leadership will be counted upon by Estes as the season continues. Senior guard Jackson Duke and Ben Kirkpatrick are 3-point shooting and defensive type players that have played well to start the season.
In the post, seniors Aidan Dickerson and Keigan Reid share time and have grown in their role as capable options in the paint.
Junior Noah Cooper mans the point for the Pirates and can score anywhere on the floor, and with his length, can defend all five positions. Classmate Journey Shells is a jack of all trades defensively, according to coach Estes, and is counted upon daily on that end of the court.
The Pirates are continuing to grow as a team, which after a hot start to the season, should have opponents worried should they reach their full potential.
