GCHS senior looks to cap career with victories

As a senior member of the Grant County High School boys' basketball team, Lucas Sharp knows the sun is setting on his high school career.

"It has been a reality check and it has hit me that this is it. This is my last go-around. I want it to be the best time and I want to play my best. The fact that it has hit me encourages me to push myself and everyone else the rest of the year," said Sharp.

Sharp began playing basketball when he was 4 or 5 years old and his love for the sport has carried over into him fulfilling the family tradition of suiting up for Grant County. His father, Bill, and brother, Jarrod, were members of the Braves.

"My brother was three years older than I was and he was a senior when I was a freshman. It feels good to know that I continued the family tradition and when I am older, I can tell my kids some stories," Sharp said.

Sharp hopes those stories include a run to salvage a season in which the Braves brought a 6-14 record into this week's play, including having lost six of their last eight.

"The season has been kind of disappointing. We haven't won as many games as I thought we would have, and we have let some games slip away," Sharp said.

According to Grant County boys' coach Ron Kinmon, Sharp has been a consistent leader all season.

"Lucas has done a fabulous job of raising his performance for his senior year. He has also been an excellent leader and has showed up and worked hard every day. He has transformed himself into a very good high school basketball player," Kinmon said.

The Braves have seven regular season games remaining, including Tuesday's game at Pendleton County and Friday's game at Henry County, and Sharp is hopeful his teammates can win them all, sending the Braves into the 32nd District Tournament with some momentum later this month.

"We are going to try to regroup and win the last seven games. It is very possible if we play hard and play as a team. We can still have a good season," Sharp said.

While he does not plan on playing at the next level, Sharp is not letting that diminish his hopes of ending his season on a positive note.

"I would like for us to go to the regional tournament and turn some heads. We are capable of doing very good," Sharp said.