Fans of Cougar basketball will get their first glimpse of the 2022-2023 girls’ and boys’ basketball teams at the annual Late Night Madness. The yearly tradition promises to be an exciting night and will begin at 8 pm in the Weston Ranch gymnasium.
“The madness is an annual tradition that we have been doing here at Weston Ranch for the last seven years,” said boys basketball assistant coach Edward Menzel. “The event is our variation of the college Late Night Madness and is meant to serve as a kick-off to the basketball season by introducing the teams to the community.”
Both programs will be under the direction of coaches who will enter their second year as head coaches. Nicholas Podesta will introduce the boys, and Damion McMiller will present the girls. Podesta guided the Cougars to a VOL championship last year, and McMiller guided his program to a fourth-place finish in the VOL, which was their highest finish since the 2018-2019 season. Both teams will compete in the SJAA this year, and both programs’ expectations will be high as they enter the new league.
Seniors Janay Holmes and Kimani Wilburn will lead the Lady Cougars on the court tonight. Holmes led Weston Ranch in scoring last year with a 15-point average, while Wilburn led in assists with four per game. Both are terrific leaders, and tonight will showcase their talents. Holmes is eager to hit the floor tonight to help introduce this year’s team.
“It’s gonna be fun,” Holmes said. “Tonight will be a great bonding moment for us. We’re much closer this year. Our practices have been better, and we are on the same page regarding our team goals. We’re ready for our first game on November 16.”
On the boys’ side, Seniors Elliot and Elijah Mobley, Khristian Holmes, and Xavion Bell will lead the Cougs onto the floor and the four who garner the most attention. Junior Richard Banks and Sophomore Darrion Lilly will look to build on their breakout seasons from a year ago. Lilly, a 6’5″ sophomore, is excited for his second season and his second chance to participate in today’s Late Night Madness.
“Tonight will be a great experience,” Lilly said. “We get to kick off the Varsity season in front of our fans, and it will be fun to compete against each other in the skill competition. Tonight is a big deal for us, and we will come out tonight and give the crowd a good show.”
Those who know Cougars basketball know the program is deep in the tradition of winning and community involvement. Providing a showcase tonight helps kick off what should be an exhilarating four months for both programs.
“The event’s purpose is to create a fun-filled, action-packed evening that the whole family can enjoy,” Menzel added. “Weston Ranch is its own community that is not really a part of Stockton or Manteca, so we must provide opportunities for the community to come together and support each other.”
In addition to introducing the girls’ and boys’ basketball teams to the campus and public, highlights of tonight’s events will be t-shirt giveaways, music, and activities the entire evening. First, the freshmen boys and JV boys will scrimmage. After that, fans will see the Cougars perform in various skills competitions, including a 3-point shooting contest and a hot-shot competition. Finally, the evening will conclude with a Varsity boys scrimmage and a Varsity girls scrimmage.
Something new this year will be the inclusion of campus clubs. The WR cheer squad and the Polynesian Club will perform during breaks.
Expectations aside, tonight should be a great evening for everyone, filled with excitement and entertainment. The event begins at 8 pm and will be $5 to get in.
