June 24, 2024
Villages High School Basketball Team Impresses In Arizona Section 7 Showcase
By Kyle Coppola
Villages High School Basketball Team Impresses In Arizona Section 7 Showcase
The VHS Basketball team, coached by Colt McDowell, traveled to Arizona to take part in the Section7Az basketball showcase held inside State Farm Stadium, where the Arizona Cardinals play.
Twelve basketball courts were brought in for this incredible event, which brought some of the most talented schools in the country to compete. Just look at the stadium! This is one of the most incredible events that any Lake or Sumter County school has ever had the opportunity to participate in.
(An amazing tournament called Section 7Az that took 12 full sized basketball courts and put them inside of State Farm Stadium where the Arizona Cardinals Play football.)
The Villages would face tough competition throughout the event. The Buffalo played a total of four games. The first game ended in a 72-61 loss against Mater Dei, while the second game resulted in a 64-41 loss against St. Joseph. Game three also ended in a loss, 57-46 against Mount SI. However, The Villages began to find their stride as the tournament progressed.
By the fourth game, The Villages faced Saint Mary’s and emerged victorious with a score of 86-72, bringing home a memory of a lifetime. Aaron Britt Jr., Jomar Bernard, and others contributed heavily to this win.
(One of the many courts in the middle of the giant State Farm Stadium in Arizona. There have also been NCAA Final Fours played here. What an experience for all these young players.)
“Thank you @Section7Az for an unbelievable event, so well organized, great competition, in an amazing venue! VHS Hoops had an amazing week of growth both on & off the floor.” says Buffalo head coach Colt McDowell.
The Villages is coming off back-to-back state semifinal appearances. Coach Colt McDowell has done an amazing job coaching this program to new heights in recent years. With the departure of Chris Washington and a few other players, the team will look different in 2024.
But one thing The Villages excels at is adapting to change. There are always players waiting for an opportunity, and that’s exactly what can be expected of the team as the season begins later this year. The Villages is coming back with a solid program once again for the 2024/2025 season.
As we await to see what the 2024 team will look like, one thing is certain: these young athletes have created memories that will last a lifetime.
Photo Credit – Colt McDowell and Section7Az
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
