Brotherhood takes on a deeper meaning for Mt. Hebron boys basketball.
The Vikings pride themselves on the unit’s collective bond. However, for four of them, that connection can’t be replicated. Mt. Hebron features two sets of brothers in its starting lineup: senior twins Tai and Kenny Akinlosotu, as well as senior Cole Willey and junior brother, Chase.
They’ve thrived and excelled in their roles as the team’s four leading scorers and formed a cohesive starting five alongside Nick Ettiene.
“Knowing I don’t really have to say anything to them, or if I do, I just can say one thing to one person. They’ll look at the other brother and say, ‘Yo, come on. It’s time to lock in. We’ve got to pick it up,’” coach Malik Gilmore said.
The Akinlosotu brothers are each three-year varsity players whose earliest basketball memories originated on their patio in kindergarten with a 7-foot rim. Meanwhile, the Willey brothers started playing basketball together in second grade. Now, Cole in his third year on varsity and Chase in his first.
The four brothers’ trust, confidence and innate sense for one another on the floor is a driving force in Mt. Hebron’s 9-1 start.
“We’re really great friends on and off the court,” Cole said. “I think that’s the reason we’re winning most of our games because of how close we are as a team. Bonded as brothers and that’s what coach is preaching on the inside.”
Tai Akinlosotu and Cole Willey are often orchestrating the offense as the team’s two primary ball handlers. Yet, when the game speeds up, they seemingly always know where to go. Those unspoken nuances present themselves time and time again.
For Cole in transition, that’s often-finding Chase for a dump-off layup in the dunker spot as he knows that his brother will be there every time. For Tai, eye contact between he and Kenny frequently determines the next course of action.
“We’ve been playing with each other for so long, since we were little kids,” Tai said. “Sometimes we just can communicate without saying anything. He’ll know where I’ll be on the court, and I’ll know where he is on the court.”
Their cohesion also correlates to Mt. Hebron’s defensive effectiveness. Coming into this week, the Vikings have Howard County’s top scoring defense, surrendering an average of 49.3 points per game. Mt. Hebron often rotates between different defenses and prides itself on that end of the floor.
In accomplishing their goal, the Vikings consistently back up and support one another. Kenny is the anchor of that defensive unit, averaging a county-leading 3 blocks per game.
“It’s more than just two sets of brothers,” Chase said. “We’re all really just one big set of brothers. I can throw a pass and I know someone will be there. I can go trap someone and I know someone will cover for me. We just stick together on and off the court, so that’s why we play so well.”
Those brotherly bonds also create a heightened competition and intensity level in practice where the brothers will frequently challenge and guard one another. After countless one-vs-one battles throughout the years, the brothers know each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
That in turn forces them to get creative and grow their games. Despite a substantial height disadvantage, Tai will guard Kenny and say, “You’re not scoring in the post.” Similarly, Chase will defend his brother on the wing and say, “You’re not touching the ball.”
Moments like that speak to the team’s mantra, which is written on the back of every practice pinny: E.A.T.T. The letters stand for Effort, Attitude, Teamwork and Toughness. Those four ideals represent the program’s values and speak to the culture shift Gilmore has implemented in his four seasons.
“The losses never phased us,” Kenny said. “We always knew we could be one of the best teams in the county, no matter if we won or lost. All of our coaches putting us to work no matter what the outcome was, it really built us as a team to where we are now.”
Mt. Hebron won just one game his first season, five two years ago and 13 last year. The program continues to ascend, in control of its own destiny for a Summit Division title and county championship berth.
“We slowly changed the culture, the kids bought in,” Gilmore said. “They came to every summer workout, which was huge for us. We were thinking, ‘Hey, it’s not about where we are right now, it’s about later on down the line.’ Like everybody says, Rome wasn’t built in a day. We can see it here, building over time.”
Have a news tip? Contact Jacob Steinberg at jsteinberg@baltsun.com, 443-442-9445 and x.com/jacobstein23.