High school sports teams call themselves families so often, that it’s become cliche.
Most dismiss it as the lip service it usually is, just coaches and athletes assigning a bond that doesn’t actually exist.
But when J.J. Smith needed family the most, he found it in his Basic baseball teammates.
Smith’s father, Jerry, died after a long illness May 8 at the age of 49. Two days later, the Wolves began their run to a Sunrise Region title, earning a berth in the state tournament.
“It happened Sunday night, and that night I was crushed,” Smith said. “I didn’t want to do anything, but they came and they picked me up and let me know that they’re here and they’re family and they’ve got me no matter what.
“It really hit me to know that these guys care as much as I do that my dad passed away.”
The night of his father’s death, the team surrounded Smith, quickly gathering at his house to show support.
“The whole team rallied around him, went to his family’s house,” Basic coach Scott Baker said. “Pretty much every player, coaches were there when we got the news. That’s the type of team this is, for sure.”
Baseball’s support didn’t end Sunday night. The sport and his team helped Smith cope with the loss. He didn’t miss a game and went 3-for-12 with two runs and two RBIs as the Wolves went 4-0 to win their first Sunrise Region title, and the school’s first postseason baseball championship since the team won state in 1987. Basic (33-4) plays Reno (28-6) in the Division I state semifinals at 4 p.m. Thursday at Bishop Manogue High in Reno. Centennial (27-9) plays Galena (27-7-1) in the first semifinal at 1 p.m.
“Baseball last week was good,” said Smith, one of 10 seniors on the team. “It felt like I had more motivation to do something better, and it felt like I did it for him in playing the game the way he loves playing the game, as well.”
Senior pitcher Trever Berg said he thinks Smith was able to use baseball as a distraction, as something to focus on other than loss.
“It’s been his escape plan,” Berg said. “Just because he’s been able to come out here, and we all know what’s going on and he can trust us.”
Baker said he was impressed with the way Smith was able to maintain on-field focus with so much going on off the field.
“I’ve got to say it’s been incredible,” Baker said. “Losing your father at any age is tough, but losing him in that situation that we’re in and he has to still come out here and perform while he’s thinking about that. From our standpoint, we’ve embraced it and are rallying around him.”
Jerry Smith played baseball for Basic, graduating in 1984. But multiple generations attending the Henderson school isn’t anything new. Unlike many of the newer high schools that have been built in the valley, Henderson’s oldest school has a deep tradition, with alumni returning for big events, and children attending the same school their parents did.
“You really do feel like it’s a small town,” Berg said.
And this team is anxious to end a 29-year title drought. Not only for themselves, but for those who came before them.
“It’s good to do it as a family,” Smith said of making the trip to state. “We’ve been together for so long. We said this even before we were in eighth grade. It was something we set a goal for, and we planned to do it and we did it. But we’re not done yet.”
Smith said he’s ready to to be on the field again this week, battling for more than just himself.
“My focus is going to be the same,” Smith said. “I’m just going to play like I do, play for each other, play for my family. Because they’re doing the same for me.”
Contact prep sports editor Damon Seiters at 702-380-4587 or dseiters@reviewjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DamonSeiters
