by By Dan Ninham (Oneida)
There are several very good players for the boys’ basketball team at Lapwai HS in Idaho this season. The team is 18-2 and all players and coaches realize the two losses mean they are hungrier to not only get to the state tournament but also to win a championship.
6’3” forward Lydell Mitchell is an important cog in the wheel of the team that keeps it moving forward. The team has an 18-2 overall record.
“At a very young we are taught about respect,” said Lydell. “We need to respect our parents, family, elders, and community. I have learned to help others, take care of my belongings, and most importantly my culture and where I come from. In basketball those values translate to respecting my coach, teammates, refs, and the opposing players. It also helps to remind me that I need respect for myself as well even when I make mistakes on the court.”
“Our community is smaller than most, but everyone knows everyone,” said Lydell. “The Lapwai community is exceptional in supporting the youth in all aspects especially when it comes to sports. The atmosphere of the gym is loud, cheerful, and exciting. Knowing that the community has our backs it allows me to play for those who cannot. My grandpa always said it was good medicine for him to watch the team play. It’s good to know that it brings joy to my family, community, and elders.”
Lapwai HS head boys’ basketball coach Zach Eastman said: “I call Lydell Mitchell ‘Mr. Reliable’ when speaking to our coaching staff. Lydell is a big part of our success this season. Lydell lets his game and work ethic speak for itself. Lydell has a very quiet demeanor, but when he gets on the court he is fearless competitor, that often gets one of our toughest defense matchup every game. With Lydell height and length he can guard anyone on the court, and with his basketball IQ offensively he is a tough matchup for any team.”
“My grandpa, Lem Mitchell, has positively influenced me as an athlete,” said Lydell. “He taught me to never give up and to always try my best. He would always be at my games cheering and encouraging me. Since his passing I play in his honor.”
“Another influence would be my sister, Victoria Konen,” said Lydell. “Growing up I was able to see her be a student athlete in her high school years. I saw her put in the dedication and hard work especially balancing academics and sports. She is always encouraging and giving advice that will help improve my game.”
Big sister Victoria said: “Lydell is a very humble person. He tends to have a quiet demeanor and avoids the spotlight. That is what most people see on or off the court. As his big sister I see his character on a personal level. Over the years Lydell has grown in maturity. This reflects in everyday life and basketball.”
“In academics Lydell has shown his leadership skills in being helpful to his peers and teachers. He is always willing to help classmates with schoolwork and encourage them. He understands the importance of completing work, but also not being afraid to ask for help either,” added Victoria.
“The attributes of empowering others, unselfishness, dedication, and having mental toughness transfers to the basketball court,” said Victoria. “Lydell has always been a defensive player over the years and his height enhanced that. Our Grandpa Lem always instilled to hustle back on defense, block out, and be tough. Lydell would rather look for ways his teammates can have an opportunity to shoot the ball. He always helps teammates on defense.“
“His current role as a starter has helped his mentality to strengthen. It has encouraged him to be more vocal, step out of his comfort zone, take the necessary shots, and dedicate more time for improvement. Although Lydell’s leadership role is discreet, he makes the difference on or off the court,” added Victoria.
“My freshman year, Bob Sobotta was my coach,” said Lydell. “He taught me the importance of academics in school and how to succeed in basketball. He was always working with me in open gyms and morning shoot-arounds.”
“As a freshman last year (2018-2019), one thing Lydell took advantage of was 6 a.m. open gym opportunities where he really worked on his shooting and ball handling,” said Coach Bob. “You could tell he was going to be a shooter with his soft touch and consistent mechanics. Lydell was able to gain some valuable varsity experience with our team due to four returning players being out with injuries. Although the experience was limited, it did help Lydell realize he had some strength’s as a freshman that even seniors may not have. We moved Lydell up again at the end of our season for tournaments and he played a nice role in our Third Place State Tournament game victory coming off the bench to play some important minutes for us. Lydell is a very strong shooter with a real good feel for the game, and watching him this year his individual skills are continuing to blossom. It will be fun to watch him progress as a player and person the next couple years.”
“In third grade I was featured in The Best Basketball Players of AAU alongside my good friend Michael ‘BB’ Bisbee III,” said Lydell. “In the 2018-19 basketball season I made it to state my freshman year. We placed 3rd.”
“Basketball has kept me on track in life,” said Lydell. “Besides the consistency of my family, this sport has always been there for me. It lets me escape from all the wrong in the world.”
“Advice I would give to other student athletes is to stay on top of your grades in school and put in a lot of work in the off season,” said Lydell. “Complete all assigned work and turn in homework on time. Also ask for extra credit to boost your grades. For the off season: get in the gym as much as you can, get lots of shots up, and work on areas that need improvement.”
Photo Credit: Christi Lussoro
