Sophomore Jamison Battle has been one of the main contributors on this year’s boys’  basketball team. The lights out shooter who thrives behind the arc has garnered interest from several NCAA Division I programs and looks to carry on a strong BSM basketball tradition this year and into the future.

Battle is very active in the BSM community, serving with RKVC and playing for the basketball and football teams, but he is especially committed to his basketball career and is training constantly.  Battle trains with Invictus, a strength and agility program, which he credits to his sudden growth on the basketball court.  He also trains before the basketball season with his AAU coach, Jay Fuhrman, before the season to get him ready for the grind that is the BSM boys’ basketball schedule.  “Basketball has forged so many relationships and has let me see so many cool places around the U.S.; it will also hopefully give me the opportunity to play in college,” Battle said.

While talking about his basketball career, Battle noted that he likes to model his game after Golden State Warriors’ shooting guard Klay Thompson and University of Kentucky star shooting guard Malik Monk.  “I feel like I play like Klay and Malik because they both are very confident in their offensive game, [and] they can put up shots behind the arc but can also create for themselves and get to the basket,” Battle said.  

Although BSM has struggled these past few years in basketball, Battle is leading the team in scoring with over 17 points per game and is set to lead them out of Section 6AAA’s and potentially into the State AAA Tournament.  “Our ultimate goal is to make it out of our Section and into State–we are in the hardest Section in the State with all the teams ranked and I think that if we fulfill our team’s potential, then we can advance,” Battle said.  With upcoming games against conference opponents Bloomington Kennedy and Robbinsdale Cooper, the Red Knights hope to put themselves in a position to compete for the Metro West Conference Championship and carry on momentum into Section 6AAA’s.