'No space, no comfort:' Olympia's player-led team prepares for the future

When Olympia High boys basketball player James Nowells was 4 years old, his older cousin introduced him to basketball. The pair went outside at 1 p.m., and the small Nowells locked eyes with the 10-foot hoop. 

He missed his first shot. He missed his second. The passing feeling of “I can’t do it” crept in.

But he was determined. 

More misses followed and hours passed. The sun set over the horizon, but Nowells stayed outside. He had to make it before he went in. 

Finally the 4-year-old’s determination paid off. At 10 p.m. the net swished with the sweet sound of success as his ball found its way over the rim. 

From then on, Nowells knew he wanted to play basketball. 

The determination will continue within Nowells and his teammates when the Titans play in the 7A Regional Quarterfinals Saturday, Feb. 14. The opponent had not been released as of press time Tuesday.

The Titans took their loss 55-50 to Dr. Phillips in the semifinals of the district tournament Thursday, Feb. 5, to heart. 

“Coach (Justin) Shipp said, ‘All we need to do is win five games, five games in a row, and we’re going to states, we’re going to Jacksonville,’” junior forward Bishop Wenze said. “To be honest, we needed this loss so we can be more detailed. If we go in Feb. 14 detailed, more locked in than we were, we’ll win. We’ll win states.” 

Going into the regional tournament, the players are focused on keeping their foot on the gas throughout the game. Wenze said they often are either a first- or second-half team. Instead they need to be a whole-game team. 

Last year, the team lost in the first round of regionals and making it past the hurdle is the dream.

“It is going to be a real statement for me, personally, and a really big achievement for my personal growth, and I just love that for the team as well,” junior guard Kevin Edou said. 

Over the years, Edou not only has seen his own growth since he picked up a basketball at 5 years old but also his teammates’. 

ALWAYS GROWING

In sixth grade, Nowells joined The National Basketball Academy Orlando to play AAU basketball. It was there where he and his now Olympia High teammates Edou and Wenze first met. 

The trio continued their club basketball journey together, playing from sixth to ninth grade on the same team. In ninth grade, they first were introduced to Shipp and instantly were drawn to his coaching style. He stresses, “no space, no comfort,” a model the team lives by, Wenze said. 

In their freshman year of high school, Wenze, Edou and Nowells were separated on the court as they attended different schools. Wenze was at Mount Dora Christian Academy, Edou at Cypress Creek High and Nowells at Dr. Phillips High. But they all shared a desire to find a basketball program that was more suited for their development. 

Then two years ago, Shipp accepted the position as head coach of Olympia’s basketball team and the players’ decision became simple — go to Olympia. 

“I was very excited,” Wenze said. “I was looking forward to the opportunity and it was a really good opportunity for me. It’s a blessing to have Coach Shipp around. He’s a great coach.” 

Shipp said he’s lucky to have been with some of Olympia’s players for three years. On the court, he’s “Coach Shipp,” but off the court he works to be a support system for them. He’s seen Olympia turn into a player-led team, and at the forefront is Nowells. 

At first, his leadership began with leading the team by example. Putting in the work and spending long hours training showed how badly he wanted to grow as an athlete. Shipp remembered the exact moment he realized Nowells’ teammates respected him. 

He was driving a few of them after practice, and when it came time to pick their seats in the car — without any arguing or shotgun calls — the 6-foot-7 Wenze, 6-foot-5 Edou and the 6-foot-7 former player Jonathan “JJ” Watts took the backseat. Nowells, with his 6-foot-2 stature, took the passenger seat. 

From that point forward, Shipp saw the respect Nowells slowly had been growing, quietly but steadily, and began to nudge Nowells to become the vocal leader he is today. Now, Nowells is the first to text the group chat reminding his teammates what time they need to be at practice or a game, reminding them what apparel they need to wear and keeping everyone — including himself — accountable.

Before holding anyone accountable, Nowells always calls out his mistakes first. He’ll say what he didn’t do and what he needs to do, then tell his teammates areas of improvement. They huddle up and prioritize staying together as a unit. As long as all 11 players are on the same page, they’re bound to play better. 

“Let all of the outside noise go, because that’s the people that are not in this group (who will) tell you what they think they know,” he said. “But we’re the ones (who) are playing. We’re the ones (who) are doing it together. So what we say determines the outcome.” 

Edou said during tense moments and games, Nowells is the first to bring everyone together, break down what’s going wrong and start a discussion on what they can do to fix it. Even during practices, he makes sure everyone is focused and understands what they have to achieve in that time. 

He watched Nowells go from a middle-schooler who played out of control and seemed confused on the court to become Olympia’s leading scorer. Wenz became a player who put in work to dominate in games, and Edou has become a player whose confidence and IQ has grown. 

The three players’ growth has come from their constant grind. They train in the gym at 5:30 a.m. five days per week before school, finish school, then return for more practice. Nowells said he wakes up at 4:45 a.m. to fit everything in and admitted it sounds crazy but it now has become his lifestyle. 

Edou said the waking up early has helped him to create positive habits and allowed him time to work on his skills.

Olympia’s players’ training schedule reflects how they’re united on the mission to accomplish school history and win states. 

“I love my team,” Nowells said. “I wouldn’t want to do this with anybody else. To be honest, we get emotional because we work so hard, so when we lose, we take it to heart.” 

PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE

But the players’ vision extends further than closing out their junior season with a historical moment at Olympia — the training is preparation for life after high school. 

Shipp feels blessed with the players he has on his varsity team this season. The whole team’s level of dedication exceeds the norm, and he wants to be able to set everyone up for success. He’s talked with college coaches and discovered freshmen in college always are behind in their diet and training. He’s taken that knowledge and turned it into his coaching style, teaching players the importance of becoming well-rounded athletes. 

Players can do all of the training they want, but if they don’t take their diet seriously, the benefits won’t flow in as quickly. It’s why Nowells, Wenze and Edou have started to watch what they eat. 

Nowells’ pre-game meal is a bowl from Chipotle consisting of rice, chicken, lettuce and the occasional vinaigrette dressing. He’d love to have the cheese and other toppings that elevate the taste, but he knows his stomach will thank him without it. 

Watching the junk food intake, prioritizing meal times and having adequate sleep is the formula to grow for the next level: College. 

For the Titans’ junior heavy squad, the offers already have begun to flow in. Wenze has received offers from Stetson University and Le Moyne College, and Edou from Stetson and Austin University. Nowells received offers from Stetson as well as Holy Cross, LeMoyne, Dartmouth and Boston University. 

Nowells is celebrating the little steps he’s achieved throughout his journey to take it to the next level, but he’s still hungry for more and it means he can’t slow down. It has shown him the early mornings and following a diet is paying off. 

All three players are continuing to prioritize working their bodies, taking care of themselves and becoming more disciplined players and people as a whole. Playing basketball at the next level is their dream, and they’re going to relish the next year to continue developing themselves through Shipp’s guidance. 

But for now, they’re focused on making history on the hardwood. On the journey to winning states, Shipp’s goals are centered around building sustainable habits for his players that they can take with them after being a Titan. 

“I want them to leave here better than they came,” he said.