First team has taught him a lot

Athlete Focus, JV Basketball – Amontay Overstreet

Amontay+in+action+is+a+sight+to+behold.

Amontay in action is a sight to behold.

“I chose to go into basketball this year because I wanted to try it out and see what it was like to be on the team,” said Amontay Overstreet, who plays point guard and shooting guard for the junior varsity (JV) team. It is his first year on any team, but Coach Javier Zaragoza recommended he try out and following that advice, Overstreet became a proud Royal team member.

“My most memorable game is when I played my first JV basketball game against Jesse Bethel High School,” he said. “I went out there nervous and then I hit one shot and my confidence went all the way up and I led my team to the win.”

While this is the first time that Overstreet has played basketball on a team, it doesn’t mean he isn’t a team player or an athlete. In the past he has participated in football, track and cross-country. “Now I want to work on getting a full ride scholarship to play basketball since people tell me I have potential for the sport,” he said. His career goals are varied and he wouldn’t mind finding himself as a member of the NBA (National Basketball Association), the NFL (National Football League) or even a professional runner. Before that, however, he wants to play at least one of those sports in college.

Overstreet loves sports so much that he goes to the park and plays a sport, or works out whenever he has the chance. “The advice I would give to someone [who is interested in trying out for a sport] is to have fun and don’t let anybody doubt your talent and what you can do,” he said. 

He has been inspired by his older brother and his father, because they inspire him to chase his dreams and they supply the support he needs to do so. Not everyone has that sort of support and Overstreet knows they should find it. “If I could change anything [about Armijo], it would be the discipline of Armijo kids who don’t take things as seriously [as they should], like their education and stuff,” he said. 

The last basketball game of his first year will be held on Thursday, February 9, at Fairfield. This is Overstreet’s final game as a freshman and he, along the rest of the team, hopes to leave the season with a winning record.