Fully Bossong ’21
In a year like no other in which the school has been deprived of what most would call “normal Woodberry,” the seniors were finally able to revive one beloved tradition: Average Joes basketball. For those who don’t know, Average Joes is a pickup basketball league for seniors who are not on the varsity basketball team, hence the name. There are nine teams of six to seven students each with many of their coaches being varsity basketball players or just guys in tank tops.
The season opened on Monday night in the historic Dick Gym as the Glory Gang defeated the Below Average Joes 20-15. Below-Average-Joes player, Simon Taylor led the game in scoring with nine points as he drilled three three-pointers in Stephen Curry-like fashion. However, they still fell short as Sam Stelter led the Glory Gang with eight points.
The next game was a potential championship game preview as the two highest teams in the commissioner’s preseason poll, #1 Ball of Duty and #2 Bad News Buckets. It was a highly anticipated matchup that much of the senior class packed (socially distant of course) the Dick Gym bleachers to watch. The game did not fail to disappoint. Ben Locklear scored the go-ahead game-winning basket with less than 30 seconds left to give the underdog Bad News Buckets the win in a heated showdown that left everyone asking, when’s the next game?
On Wednesday night Hayes Barrus dropped 14 points to lead Team Ferda to the tight victory over the heavy underdog, Stevan’s misfits. In the following game, the current league leader in scoring, Cooper Fowler scored 15 to lead Moms Against Vaping to a 41-20 lead over the Bricklayers.
Unfortunately, Friday night’s matchup between the Glory Gang and the AV Center Staff was postponed due to a Covid outbreak on campus but will be played as soon as it is safe.
The first week of Average Joe’s basketball was undoubtedly a success and a huge morale boost to a senior class that rightly feels robbed of their final year at the forest. The players cannot wait to get back on the hardwood and compete with their classmates once it is deemed safe again. For more updates and exclusive content, follow the league on Instagram, @wfsaveragejoes.
The Woodberry Oracle 