The Lockwood boys basketball team looks ready to take the leap this year — literally.
The Lions' underclassmen are leading the charge, and it’s sophomore Zicciah "Z" Callison-Blake who’s soaring above the rest.
Z is among the state leaders in dunks and blocked shots, and says he first threw it down when he was 14. And with his 40-inch vertical, he’s no stranger to dunk contests, either.
“I've actually competed in three, and all three were against grown men. I won all three jumping over someone and then dunking from there," Callison-Blake said.
When Callison-Blake hammers one down, it ignites both he and the rest of his Lion teammates. In a recent home game against East Helena, Callison-Blake helped change the momentum late with back-to-back thunderous slams.
It’s moments like that that provide a glimpse into the mentality of Callison-Blake and his young teammates.
“When were all younger we used to play in these big games at MSUB and other tournaments. The prospects when were fourth grade and up were just big games," Callison-Blake said.
Ultimately, Callison-Blake's goal is to play in March Madness, but the sophomore has a long journey ahead of him. He’s certainly cherishing his years with Lockwood, though, as he gets to share the floor with his freshman brother Kobe, who actually threw the lob for Z's first dunk.
“On the floor we have our little arguments and stuff, but we're good over that eventually. We just like to play with each other," Callison-Blake said. "Our chemistry off the court is extremely strong and we get along together all the time."
Callison-Blake has big hoop dreams, but the current focus is helping Lockwood reach its first State A tournament in program history.
