The COVID pandemic shut down the world in March and April. At that time Morningside experienced a heart-breaking act when they had to cancel their chance of winning a national tournament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The main question that I asked was, \u201cHow did this affect your team emotionally?\u201d Morningside Basketball head coach Sykes still gets choked up talking about the COVID incident at the national tournament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt was so hard to see these guys who put their excessive time into getting better, and like that it was taken away which was the worst feeling in the world. I have been coaching this senior class, for four years and created a strong bond with them so it struck a strong nerve to see them all in tears,\u201d Coach Sykes said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSykes walked around watching us shoot. He was pacing on his phone all morning. We just finished practice and it was about time to get shots up and shoot free throws. At that moment he called us in and read us an email out loud from the national tournament committee. At this moment I fell to the ground unable to stand in complete disbelief,\u201d remembers Tyler Borchers<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Morningside opens up the tournament with an easy win. The Morningside Mustangs ranked number one in the tournament had a cakewalk of a game against the college of the Ozarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Senior leader Borchers tells what he felt was the possibility for the national tournament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI feel we had a great chance of becoming national champs this year. Nobody was as close as a team we were and the amount of time, we put into the gym, it would\u2019ve been just right to see all my brothers successful,\u201d said Borchers<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Borchers had an excellent career at Morningside. Finishing the season with third all-time scoring and leader in rebounds. He was a beast and able to show his dominance in every game this season. The first game of the tournament had an impressive 20-point game and carried the Mustangs to an easy victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Borchers was one of the six seniors who had a very good resume as Morningside Mustangs. Three-time GPAC champions and wanted to add a national tournament to the resume.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Like Borchers, Matt Hahn was blown away with what he felt was the hardest part to see them call the tournament in that fashion?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI was in utter disbelief. I have never experienced heartbreak before, but this is what that had to feel like. I couldn\u2019t process anything at the moment, but wanted to express my gratitude towards the seniors, coaches, and the younger guys who will continue the one goal tradition,\u201d said Hahn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMatt was the main leader who was the guy to go shut down the other team\u2019s best player. His main focus was on defense and took it personally that led our team to be dawgs on defense. He was also a guy who continually added time in the gym and couldn\u2019t believe the way the season just ended,\u201d explained Sykes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Mustangs are back into the gym practicing and are gearing up for the upcoming season. They are ready for vengeance and making a statement for those whose chances of being champions were taken away terribly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"