Winter Athlete Spotlight: James Durney
In a competitive environment like the Shore Conference, there is no one else you would want on the court with you other than James Durney. Bringing the energy and excitement every second, Durney has been an integral part of CBA Basketball’s hot start this 2021-2022 season. With his lockdown defense and precision from behind the three-point arc, Durney has been given the nickname “Durney Island” by the Colt Crazies as CBA students of all grade levels have gone wild for the senior captain.
Before “Durney Island” and the varsity spotlight, there were years of hard work and dedication in the CBA basketball program on the freshman and JV teams. In these two years of development as a freshman and “swinging” in his sophomore year, Durney explained that he learned a lot about what it means to be a better player and teammate in this program.
Durney’s sophomore year was a crucial developmental season as he got a lot of playing time on the JV team while also strengthening his skills playing against upperclassmen on the varsity level as well.
“This role improved my game dramatically as I was able to play against both varsity and JV competition every day,” Durney said. “The improvement of my game from the beginning of my sophomore year to the end of it gave me opportunities to play minutes in varsity games.”
The coaching staff around him, such as Coach Courter Smith, Coach Stephen Bazaz, Coach Robert O’Connor, and Coach Billet, have been a huge factor in Durney’s growth as the athlete and person he is now. Through their guidance, Durney learned the grit of sticking with every challenge he faces, whether on the court or not, as he and his fellow teammates quickly adopted the mentality of refusing to lose or give up.
“I learned how to be selfless on and off the court,” Durney said. “Not only have the coaches taught us how to play the game of basketball, but they have also taught us how to be a gentleman and win with class.”
After his sophomore year, Durney entered a true varsity season unlike any other in the midst of a pandemic without any fans in the stands, which was not easy as the team relied on themselves to get hyped up for games and keep a strong mindset through it all.
“Senior leaders gave us pregame speeches, which gave us the energy we needed to enter into games. Looking at these guys, I want to be that same leader,” Durney said as he reflects on how he can make a difference as a senior captain for the underclassmen on varsity this year.
Now, having the Colt Crazies back in the bleachers and a well-developed core lineup filled with energy, Durney and the Colts have taken on an underdog mentality in their red hot start to this season. CBA remains undefeated after dethroning higher seeds in the shore such as Ranney School and Marlboro High School.
Durney, a big reason for these victories with ice in his veins as a shooter and defender, talked about showing the Shore what this team is all about while keeping the vital motivation to not take their foot off the gas.
“Coach Billet has told us that it is not where you start the season, it is where you end it,” Durney said. “Not a lot was expected from us this year, which makes us that much hungrier to keep this going.”
Talking about the success this season and keeping this mindset, Durney has made it a priority to keep his team locked in and show the younger guys what is expected of them from a basketball program held to a higher standard as a part of CBA athletics. Everyone is expected to put the team first and always have their brother’s back on and off the court.
Looking ahead into the future, Durney explains that the ultimate goal is clear: to win the Shore Conference Championship.
“We still have a lot to improve on, but we believe we can win this thing and compete for a state title,” Durney said as he believes this team has got what it takes to win it all.
Keep an eye out for Durney and the CBA basketball team this winter as they look to continue their run in the Shore. Trust me, you won’t miss the chats from the Colt Crazies when #15 checks in for the Colts.
