Isaiah Harris ’24 faces games head-on.
Boys Basketball Co-Captain Isaiah Harris ’24 prioritizes becoming a role model for his younger teammates and instilling his love for the sport in others. With his upbeat energy and dedication, Harris shaped the close-knit team dynamic and consistent drive for success.
Harris shared the transition he has made from leading by example to assuming a stronger voice on the team. His goal is to bring spirit to Boys Basketball.
Harris said, “I’d say in the past I was more of a lead by example type of person, but I’d say, in the last couple years, I’m more of a vocal person trying to get the team going.”
As a Co-Captain, Harris builds team chemistry through humor, while helping create and maintain a collectively ambitious mindset for the team.
“I like to joke with the guys, make sure we have that camaraderie, and at the same time, just keep that competitive edge and make sure we’re all doing what we’re supposed to do,” said Harris.
Cade Rutkoske ’26 described Harris as a role model, highlighting his leadership, especially amongst the younger players. He also commended Harris for his work ethic while battling an injury.
“I think he’s a great role model for people on the team, especially for the younger guys who look up to the seniors and look up to the captain. I think that’s one way he leads the team, and he’s obviously a hard worker. Earlier in the season he was going through [physical therapy] a lot to try to get healthy for the season, so his work ethic is also inspirational.” said Rutkoske.
Fellow Co-Captain Robbie Nyamwaya ’24 describes the brotherly relationship he has with Harris. The idea of finding family within the team significantly boosts the team dynamic during a game.
“I would say we are all brothers before teammates, so our chemistry is unmatched. We have all played with each other for a bit, so we understand how we play,” said Nyamwaya.
Harris believes his persistence on the basketball court speaks to his attitude of always striving to get better and push for a better self.
Harris said, “I’d say I’m just like a relentless, scrappy type of player that just doesn’t back down from anything. I always try to do whatever that surpasses any expectations anyone has of me.
And, I try to do the things that a lot of people don’t want to do, which is like chasing loose
balls or boxing out, actually getting a rebound, just the extra things. I guess going back to
your question about how it relates to me as a person, it’s just me having that drive to
want to be better and demand more for myself every day.”
Rutkoske admires the determination and competition that Harris brings to the team. According to Rutkoske, despite being injured, Harris worked hard to return to the court, coming back ready to win.
“I think [Harris] is a great teammate and a great captain and leader. He’s been here for a long time, so as a Senior, he’s gone through a lot of adversity and a lot of ups and downs. So, he’s definitely mature and a great leader. He’s been hurt for some time, and this year as a Senior, he’s finally back and I think overall he just really wants the team to win. He’s a really competitive player, and he’s just a good guy all around,” said Rutkoske.
