Blue Mountain Union boys varsity basketball had their first scrimmage against Pittsburg-Canaan this past week on Friday the 5th, 2025. BMU was on a search for a new varsity boys basketball coach recently, but that search finally ended with a familiar face acquiring the role.
Going back to July 2025, the former one-title varsity boys basketball coach, Chris Cook announced that he was going to coach at Thetford for the varsity girls basketball team. With the position now available, Michael Scott, the varsity soccer coach at BMU, decided to apply for the spot to teach kids new skills and help them win.
Coach Scott didn’t waste any time preparing; tryouts started and the teams were decided on Wednesday, the 3rd. The boys had their first scrimmage on Friday, the basketball team fought hard the entirety of the game on defense, getting steals, grabbing rebounds with the height of Brody Scott, Dylan LaCasse, and Jamal Saibou. As a team, the boys have a stronger offense this year with the capability of scoring tough baskets when they matter. After just one practice, the team came out strong.
After a difficult soccer season and a little bit of rest, they were ready to get back out to dominate. The boys ran open gyms for high schoolers as soon as possible to start working on drills and scrimmages. Mike Scott watched the team while they played twice a week for two hours before he put in his application as the head coach. Slowly, the team was constructed with athleticism and dedication.
When it was time for tryouts, the team noticed a huge difference with their new coach. Dylan LaCasse, a senior guard at BMU, noticed that, “He’s encouraging and has already shown that he’s willing to work with us.” During recent practices prior to the scrimmage, coach Scott has been simplifying offensive and defensive plays to allow the players to go at their own pace. The players have enjoyed Scott’s techniques, and they have high hopes for the team this year with LaCasse also mentioning, “[He] think[s] we have more potential with our new coach.” The plays that Mike Scott made worked well in the scrimmage on Friday, and the team was confident in what they were doing.
The day of the scrimmage, the basketball team came out strong but not strong enough. They lost to the Yellow Jackets 14-16, the second quarter BMU won 11-6, the third quarter was 8-15, and finally the fourth quarter was a hard loss with the score being 11-21. In the second quarter, BMU held the Yellow Jackets down on defense. Brody Scott, a junior center for the team, explained that, “[He] think[s] our press is going to be really good, and some of our tough defense stops at the end might stick with us.”
Many members on the team have a lot of hope for the future games after the way they played at the scrimmage. With high hopes comes minor adjustments that need to be made, Brody Scott pointed out that “[He] think[s] we should’ve boxed out better, and we needed more presence in the paint.” As the Bucks practice more for the 2025-2026 basketball season, they should be able to improve a substantial amount and make it far for the end of the season.
In conclusion, the scrimmage gave the team a clear idea of where they stand and what needs improvement. Even though they didn’t win much, the players felt like they learned a lot from the scrimmage. They left feeling motivated instead of disappointed because they could already see progress.
Coach Scott’s techniques are helping them play smarter and faster which will be crucial for the future. Even with three losses, the team gained confidence knowing their mistakes are fixable. Overall, the Bucks are hopeful and excited for what the rest of the season will bring.
