Metamora Flames

Never Satisfied! Stay Hungry!

Part 2. Close combat #brickbybrick🧱

You don’t have to, you get to!! 🦅🦅 #1percentbetter

We would like to thank @mayawong23 for teaching us about what it means to be mentally tough. #1percentbetter

Just watched this guy come out into the Iowa section and take a picture with every fan that came up to him. That says a lot!!Making history in the Elite 8. Iowa kid to his core. How can you not root for a kid like that!!! @Jrkoch8 COOOOP!!!

It would be so easy to just ask @NestoHoops to do them! If @IHSA_IL asked coaches throughout the state, I guarantee they would prefer his system over MaxPreps’ flawed AI rankings. After we won the state championship, MaxPreps still had us ranked below the team we beat!

Congratulations to our own @CooperKoch_8 and his Iowa Hawkeyes for advancing to the SWEET 16! Big game from Coop!

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THIS IS THE BEST EXPLANATION OF HOW THE SWING SHOULD WORK I HAVE SEEN ON THIS PLATFORM! “Barrel depth” is a newer term that the #gurus love to use and I laugh every time I hear it because people who understand hitting know that every thing you do with your barrel behind you creates a longer swing! Great job Wil Pujols! Video courtesy of @gmaloney125 #shegone @notgaetti @BobFile @twuench @billdubs @SliderDominate @slider_sinker @iamrags @CRAIG_LAPINER @hittingguru7 @artofhitting @ROXSystem @BLocsports @TheRealJHair @DMEASrecruiting @GDBJr5 @mikepiazza31 @RealCJ10

I watched every 3-2 take by Bryce Harper in 2025. Here’s what it revealed: 1️⃣ Yes, Yes, No Approach - he is swinging until the ball tells him “no”. His barrel starts to turn on almost 100% of his takes. You will see these type of “active takes” with pretty much every high level hitter 
2️⃣ He Can Stop Late - because his barrel turns rearward and creates depth, it allows him shut down or abort his swing as late as possible. This gives him a longer time to identify pitch speed, shape, and location

Our boys showed a ton of resilience fighting back from down 8 at half after an abysmal 3-18 from 3. Took a 6 point lead into the 4th. Went 8-20 in 2nd half and withstood a great buzzer beater pull-up 3 to send it to OT. Stayed together and found a way. GBW 1-3-1 is very tough.

Celebratory team dinner at Buca di Beppo after the round 1 win in the @JackToshHC!!

Metamora 56 Nazareth 46 Birds with good balance today. Play tomorrow at 6:00 against the winner of Glenbard West and Yorkville. Jones 12 Bucy 12 Morrison 10

Birds protect home court tonight with a 62-61 win over Peoria High. Now in sole possession of the 6th longest home win streak in Illinois HS basketball history. Bucy 18 Koch 14 Vasquez 9 Jones 9 Geier 8

Metamora 66 IVC 40 Birds improve to 2-2 on the season. We travel to the Quad Cities to take on United Township tonight at 4:30. Geier 17 Koch 11 Jones 7 Taylor 7

Zohran Mamdani becoming New York City Mayor is Charlie Kirk’s words coming true 2 days before he was assassinated, he said the Left will use Islam to bring down America “The spiritual battle is coming to the West and the enemies are woke-ism or Marxism combining with Islamism to go after what we call the American way of life” “The American way of life is very simple. I want to be able to get married, buy a home, have kids, allow them to ride their bike till the sun goes down, send them to a good school, have a low crime neighborhood, not to have my kid be taught the lesbian, gay, transgender garbage in their school. While also, not having them have to hear the Muslim call to prayer five times a day. That's important.” “These two threats are combining forces to come after us.”

“Skill is not a possession acquired by an individual, nor a fixed property of the performer, but rather a dynamically varying relationship captured by the constraints imposed by the environment and the resources of the performer.” -Arujo & Davids

🔍 from today’s open gym @MetamoraBBB: Notably no seniors for the Redbirds but a talented young group. ‘28 6’5” F @Brady_Jones28 brings great versatility with his frame & skillset, ready to take another step forward after a strong freshman campaign starting varsity. ‘28 6’3” W @_Sam_Koch will be a breakout star in the Mid-Illini. Projectable length, scoring feel & still growing. Recently took an unofficial visit to Drake. ‘28 6’0” PG @Collin108339292 is a smooth operator running the show with great poise & ability to score in variety of ways. ‘28 6’5” F @Cam_Beek is a plus athlete with strong physical tools & arrow pointing up. ‘27 6’0” G Logan Vasquez another guard capable of making an impact on & off ball. ‘29 6’5” F Eamon Lynch also a long term prospect to track.

2028 Collin Morrison is back to work this fall after a strong summer. The 5’11.5” (5’11” wingspan) 176 lbs PG continues to improve as a lead guard while still bringing toughness and winning qualities. He tested at a 33” max vert and a 225 lb bench press. Keep working Collin!

Community service 🫡🫡

Starting the year off right with the annual Blessing Of The Athletes Ceremony. Congratulations to our head coach Ali Schwagmeyer-Belger on reading aloud the prayer to everyone 🤩🤩.