Mareon Chapman

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Mareon Champman dribbling down the court with assistance from Demarco. PC: Avery Salas

Janyissa Bannister, Sports Writer

Standing at 5’10, junior, from Rangeview High School, point guard and shooting guard, #3… Mareon Chapman. He has been a boy’s Raider basketball player since his freshman year, along with being an exceptional player from the moment he picked up a basketball at the age of 4. Being on the Raider’s boys varsity team since his freshman year, he is also the captain of the boy’s Raiders basketball team his junior year. Showing so much growth as only a junior in high school, he truly has so much passion for his sport. He is also exceeding many high school national averages. Along with being 4th in the league and 26th in the state at shooting 3 pointers, Chapman is clearly a top gun, long range shooter. To add on to that, he had 5 3-pointers in 3 different games, making him one of Rangeview’s leading scorers.

Demetrius Bailey and Aidan Baker have known Chapman since 6th grade. They have all seen him grow as a person and as a basketball player. Bailey explained the first time he met Chapman at a basketball practice with both of their parents and other friends. Bailey’s dad wants him to be just as good as Chapman, because he was, “The best one there.” His teammates see how well he works with the people around him, along with helping and encouraging younger players.

Learning that Chapman enjoys the flavor and nutrition of coconut water, and this leads to him drinking it before every game. He also uses the sport of basketball as his therapy to get away and do the things that he loves and he is also good at. Allowing his family, coaches, and even knowing recruits will be at the game will drive him to be a better player.

Talking to Myles Chapman, Mareon’s twin brother, I got to understand how supportive their father is of his basketball career. He’s seen his brother playing basketball and growing love and passion for the sport since they were little. As his father is a basketball coach and knows how to help Mareon grow and support him through his journey. His dad has given a lot of his inspiration leading for Chapman to be the best player he can be, pushing him to his best abilities. His family has so many stories and him playing basketball with his little basketball hoop for as long as they could remember.

Chapman acknowledges that he needs to improve specifically on his vertical, perfecting his jump shot and other aspects into making him better within this sport. This he will be doing through club basketball, and doing a lot of traveling with his team to get his name out there. Although he would love to go D1 in his beloved sport, he has a plan B. He wants to go to college and get a degree in finance, along with this degree he wants to get an MBA degree, following that he wants to work in a private equity firm as an associate.

After interviewing LJ Rodriguez, a coach and a friend of Chapman’s, he shares, “we see that he is a hard working kid, keeps his head down and grinds and does what he needs to do,” helping his teammates, and he is someone for his team to depend on and will put others above himself. He pushes the guys to do better. He has known him since he was a freshman and has loved watching him grow as a person on and off the court. His main goal is to see Chapman continue to improve on his defense and continue to be a great team leader. Overall, Rodriguez is thrilled to see Chapman and his growth next year, (even though he won’t be here) and he is still hoping for the best for him, and that he will achieve all the goals he wants to in life.