Some athletes carry an unmistakable presence—steady, reliable, and built for the moments when games get tight. Preston High School’s Pheonix Finch takes pride in being exactly that kind of teammate. As he put it, his goal is simple: “Try to be a good team member, hustle, and be a player everyone knows they can rely on.”
He thrives in a team environment where everyone pushes each other. “The team morale has been great. We are very competitive, but we always look out for our team, whether that be helping them with something they don’t understand or just hyping them up when they are down.” That mix of accountability and encouragement has fueled one of the biggest improvements Finch has noticed.
Preston’s mission this season is crystal clear. “Our goal this year is to make it to state and get a gold ball,” Finch said. And the work backs that up. “All of us have been keeping our heads down and stay late, put in the extra work so we can get better so we can put our best foot forward.”
Finch anchors the paint for the Pirates. “I play center/power forward,” he said. His approach on the floor is strategic and selfless. “I look for weak spots in the defense where I can flash in there and make them have to scramble, but I set a lot of screens to help get my teammates open or so we can get a better look.”
When the lights come on, his mindset never wavers. “What goes through my mind when I get on the court is not to play for myself. It is to play for the name on the jerseys and for the guys on the court with me.”
Finch also hopes his impact reaches beyond athletics. “I would like people to say that I was a good basketball player but a better person. I think there is a lot more in life than how you play the game—it’s how you treat people.”
Some of his favorite experiences come from the players who came before him. “Some of my best memories is the older guys giving me advice… helping me get better, read the floor, and helping me get a better shot and just being tough and more consistent.”
