By Gio DiFazio

CNMS

Alicia Hoyt is ninth all-time in points scored at SMCC. Alicia, who was raised in Steep Falls and attended Bonny Eagle High School, is the second leading scorer this season while averaging eight rebounds per contest. As a center and forward, Alicia has an innate sense of the court, which is an added plus, as she plays much of the game with her back to the basket. Regardless of this Alicia remains a force under the basket dominating both the offensive and defensive glass.

Coming into the season, the basketball players here at SMCC know that they must plan and prepare for the upcoming season in the classroom because when the midseason grind hits, it doesn’t pull any punches.  

After asking Alicia how she manages the time between school and basketball. Without hesitation she credits Assistant Coach Patrick Haviland. “Coaches are very helpful. Coach Pat is always there. He helps take care of our schedules and always makes sure we get our classes done and out of the way so that we have plenty of time to practice.”

I ask Alicia how basketball and her time at SMCC had prepared her for the future. “I definitely think that it has made me a better leader. It’s made me stronger, made me more of a team player, thinking about putting others before myself.”

Alicia continued on saying, “when I first came here I wanted to just get my core classes and study dental hygiene somewhere else. I had always wanted to be in the dentistry field, but once I came here and saw all of the options I had, I decided to switch it up.” After seeing the opportunities that SMCC presented her, Alicia decided to change her plan.

“I plan to transfer to USM for accounting. I have taken all the required math classes and all the required accounting classes.”

Jordan Derosby is currently the top scorer for the explosive SMCC men’s basketball team. Jordan is a lean, wiry 5’11” point guard with great vision, and a deadly ability to beat defenders off the dribble. Hailing from Waterville High School in Waterville, ME, that vision expands beyond the court and into his academic life here at SMCC.

The drive and hard work are apparent in both the women and men’s and teams here at SMCC. As soon as I sat with Jordan to talk, it was very apparent that his focus is razor sharp heading into the final stretch of the regular season.

This passion spills over from the court and into his academic lives. After I asked Jordan if was hard to manage time between school and basketball, he simply replies, “No. I find time. In between classes and when I get home at night I usually have a good amount of time to sit down and focus on my school work.”

For anyone that isn’t familiar, the life of a college athlete is a delicate balance of school and sport. This balance must be maintained meticulously, day in and day out.

Whether it is in the classroom, or on the hardwood, he credits his drive and ambition to a strong sense of community here in the school. Into his third year of eligibility he knows his time is winding down. “I appreciate it more, what’s going on around me; because I know that I only have a limited amount of time in my life to go to college and play basketball. So now I’m taking full advantage of it, as much as I can.” Jordan praises a former teammate named Josh Tuplin for reminding him that his time is limited, and to not take a second for granted.

A Communications and New Media student, Jordan has a strong passion for sports. He hopes to make a career covering sports, from behind the camera or the mic. “I would like to film sporting events, and I always thought it would be to cool to do the play by play.”

With only three home games remaining for the squads, both teams play Vermont Tech on the 13th, and the ladies end out the home season against Navy Prep on the 14th, both Seawolve’s squads remain hard at work preparing for the YSCC Tourney.