MIA Boys’ Basketball Season Shows Growth

So far, the Marco Island Academy basketball season is “exactly what I was hoping for,” said head coach Jim Watt after his scrappy team fought till the end before bowing, 67-55, to a strong Gateway Charter team in the Rays gym Friday night.

"Our losses this year have been to the private schools and the really big schools,” Watt said. "We’re winning the ones we’re supposed to be winning. We’re doing our job and we’re putting them away.”

Gateway Charter brought a deep and tall team to Marco, and at times looked like they might blow out the Rays. But Watt made an adjustment at halftime that allowed his team to hold their own.

“We came back in the second half,” Watt said. "I was nervous they’d start getting layups on us if we pressed them too soon. I told the guys, ‘I made a coaching mistake. We should have pressed them sooner.’ You just never know how it’s going to shake out. We got down early, I was running a compact defense, just trying to keep them to the outside shots - and they were knocking them down.”

Watt looks forward to getting another crack at Gateway Charter.

"We get to play them again,” Watt said, "that’s the good news. We get to go up there and play them. We’ll have a little different game plan next time. I’m excited about it.”

Watt appreciates the never-say-die attitude his team brought to Friday’s battle.

"I’m excited because our guys never gave up,” Watt said, “they fought hard. We came out in the second half and matched their physicality. They were more physical than us in the first half. We went into the locker room at halftime and not one of our players had more than one foul. We were playing soft. Now that we know we can run with them, the next game will be different.”

Watt is happy with his team’s season so far. The Rays’ record is 5-9. He is focusing on program building. This is the first time the Rays have fielded a JV squad.

“I feel like we’re having a good season,” Watt said. "The kids are coming together. The older guys are really helping bring up the young guys. They’re supporting them. Every player is loved. Everyone looks out for each other. It’s a big family. The season is exactly what I was hoping for. There’s a lot of love. A lot of compassion. The older guys bringing up the younger guys. It’s the way to build a program.”

Because his Rays have been taking care of business against in-conference teams, they’re in good shape as they head toward the post season.

"We earned home court advantage for the Paradise Athletic Conference tournament,” he said. "So, we’ll finish the season here.”

Watt feels good about the future of the program. He coaches both the JV and varsity teams. 

"We’re very happy with the JV team,” he said. "In coaching both of them, it’s nice for me because in certain games I can work in some of the JV players. If they play in a JV game, they can’t play any varsity minutes at all. If they don’t, I can work them into a varsity game. It works out well and I can get them a little varsity experience. They’ve only lost one game, to North Ft. Myers. They’re a fast-running team. The program is growing with our older kids. You should see them nurturing some of these guys, helping them out and bringing them along in practice. They’re bringing the program up.”