Point guard Tyler Huxtable is a scoring machine for the Patrick Fogarty Catholic Secondary School (PF) senior boys' basketball. When you watch him play, it's hard to believe he's only been playing hoops for four years.
Huxtable, 16, moved to Orillia when he was in kindergarten and played soccer at Couchiching Heights Public School (C.H.P.S). His interest in basketball was sparked after seeing former NBA MVP Russell Westbrook for the first time.
“I only started playing basketball when I got to Grade 8," said Huxtable, noting he was "a late boomer."
Ahe he has YouTube to thank. "I was a soccer player until I saw a YouTube video of Russell Westbrook and I thought to myself that looks kind of dope,” he explained.
Huxtable knew the best way to learn something was to do it over and over again until it’s perfected.
“I started going to the YMCA every day and I haven’t stopped since," he said. "I play with some of my friends who are playing in college now and they helped me learn. I picked it up fast and realized that I could do this.”
Huxtable put in the work and learned from anyone who would take the time to teach him the fundamentals of basketball.
“I would be at the YMCA for 12 hours, and I would get help from everybody who was in the gym, anyone who could critique me, anyone who could teach me even just a little bit, I took it,” he said.
After playing pick-up basketball in the YMCA gym, putting in the work and being a real student of the game, Huxtable gained the confidence to join the Orillia Youth Basketball Club.
“That helped me a lot, too. My coach, Mark Meeks, helped me learn defence first, and he is one of the reasons I can play like I do,” Huxtable said.
Going into the Lakers program, Huxtable thought he was in shape from his time playing soccer, but his coach taught him about 'basketball shape.'
“Every practice. Mark would start it with running first. It’s funny because I didn’t know I was out of shape, I could run long term in soccer, but basketball is sprinting back and fourth and I would be gassed real fast,” Huxtable chuckled.
When it was time for the C.H.P.S student to choose a high school, the decision came easy after being recruited by players on the Flames' basketball team.
“I wasn’t supposed to come to Patrick Fogarty, but I knew some of the kids who were on the basketball team and they were telling me to come play basketball with them, and I wanted to be here because I knew the basketball team was going to be way better than anywhere else,” Huxtable said.
Huxtable says he was aware of the Orillia Secondary School (OSS) basketball dynasty building cross-town when he made his decision to attend PF, but he felt that the Flames program offered him the best opportunity.
“I also came to PF because of the coaches that are here. (Fred) Bosco was my first coach and he was phenomenal," said Huxtable. "I knew (Brad) MacNeil is a great coach, too.”
When Huxtable first arrived at PF, he dominated in almost every junior boys' basketball game and that caught the attention of the Grade 11 senior players who became eager for Huxtable to become a senior.
“It gave me confidence to play in my junior years. I thought to myself if they can’t wait to play with me then I must be doing something good,” Huxtable said.
The senior students took Huxtable under their wing and started practising and preparing for the opportunity to build their team around the high scoring junior.“I was hyped to play with them, too. When I first came here, they showed me around, and included me in things. We have always had a tight relationship that way and now playing basketball together, that relationship has transferred onto the court and that’s a part of the reason we play so well together,” Huxtable explained.
With Huxtable leading the charge, there is real optimism surrounding the Flames this season; he says it’s the relationships that have been built in the locker room that are propelling their play on the court.
“We have real strong players that when I’m running an offence, everyone knows where to be, when they see me cutting they get me the ball and make me look good, it’s like a relationship we have on the court, it’s a good team effort," said Huxtable.
The goal right now is winning a Georgian Bay Secondary Association Championship and attending the provincial OFSSA tournament with the tight-knit Flames team. However, Huxtable does have aspirations beyond that.
“I want to take basketball as far as it will let me go," said Huxtable. "I’m trying to prepare to play college ball and hopefully someone notices me.”
