A natural born and bred basketball aficionado, junior Jordan Lowery knows well the hard work necessary to excel at his early calling to the court.

?Before I could walk, my dad started playing basketball with me,? Lowery said. ?I?ve been playing basketball my whole life and it?s definitely my all-time favorite sport.?

Lowery?s potential has not gone unnoticed through the sights of varsity head coach Chris Schultz, who appreciates the positive attitude Lowery brings to the team.

?Jordan has been a good fit at FC since the day he arrived on campus,? Schultz said. ?His outgoing personality combined with his desire to compete have endeared him to players and coaches alike.?

After transferring from Hoover his sophomore year, Lowey continues to lead by example. In the Eagles latest battle against Avenal, Lowery tacked-on 19 points in the Eagles’ 76-35 win, Jan. 8 and an overall 4-8 non-league record.

?Due to a pre-game ritual and the overwhelming roar of the crowd, our intensity level in our performance increased,” Lowery said. “Playing as a team with so much energy makes playing basketball fun again.”

As most sports afford players titles and trophy?s to add to their names, the camaraderie needed to win also gives players like Lowery memories worth practicing for.

?This year?s trip to San Francisco we took as a team helped us bond so much,? Lowery said. ?We always manage to find some way to mess around and have fun.?

Whether scoring lay-ups or touchdowns, Lowery?s role as leading point-guard mirrors the qualities and responsibilities of his position on the football field.

?Being quarterback already teaches me to be a leader and playing point-guard is pretty much like being quarterback on the basketball court,? Lowery said. ?Though, in the end, it takes the whole team to win and not just one player.?

Senior guard David Fujihara admires Lowery?s unique dedication to his talent.

?He?s always joking around which really boosts team morale,? Fujihara said. ?Besides that he?s a really good player and brings a type of passion to the court.?

Lowery?s learned tactics to compete amongst the populous of Hoover?s most prominent athletes gives coach Schultz assurance in his new player?s position on the court.

?The challenge for him in basketball just like it was in football is to figure out the style and play of Fresno Christian and how he can use his talents to fit in and help the team be successful,? Schultz said. ?That will help him tremendously.?

Like the multitude of athletes with inspired reasons to play sports, few things bother Lowery more than poor mediators to add to the stress of a close-call game.

?The bad referees,? Lowery said, ?that?s the one thing I hate most about sports in general, but I?m not too bothered by it.?

As starting quarterback for the football team, current point-guard on the basketball team, and with a baseball roster yet to be decided, Lowery?s competitiveness finds its niche through a collection of high-intensity sports.

?I like to play just about any sport out there,? Lowery said. ?But my favorite sports are basketball, football, and baseball, which I?ll be playing my junior and senior years.?

Schultz realizes the contribution Lowery?s athletic ability adds to the team.

?He brings athletic ability with passion which proves an excellent combination for an athlete,? Schultz said. ?He loves to compete, no matter what the score or record is and has been a blessing to our school on and off the court.?

Already more than halfway through his high school career, Lowery?s sports schedule keeps him busy, though decisions concerning his future play have yet to be made.

?I guess I?m going to have to choose what sport I?m going to play at the end of senior year,? Lowery said. ?In the end, I?ll probably try-out for basketball.?

For more information, please read the Boys’ basketball sports shorts or e-mail coach Chris Schultz’s e-mail.