“Take everything to the next level, and have fun doing it.”
On Monday, May 1 at 10:55 a.m., senior Sawyer Stone signed his letter of intent to pursue his basketball career at Aurora University in Aurora, Illinois. Stone was joined in Langford Hall at Maclay School by his parents, coaches, teammates and friends. After transferring from Chiles to Maclay in his junior year, Stone gave thanks to all of those who have helped him reach his dream and he looks forward to playing for the Spartans at the next level.
“[I chose Aurora over my other offers] because of the coach,” Stone said. “He brought me in with open arms whenever I visited, and I felt very comfortable.”
Maclay Varsity boys basketball head coach Gene Granger has coached Stone for the past two years and believes that he has come a long way with his development. The team went 24-4 last season, and Stone was a standout on the roaster with 20 slam dunks.
“At the rate [Stone] is growing, he’s going to be much much better [in the future],” Granger said. “His development is going to continue to grow, and we were glad to be a part of it. I think he has a long way to go, and he’s going to be a gift to the next program he’s a part of.”
Stone’s favorite part about his years at Maclay basketball has been playing with his friends. One friend, in particular, is senior Tristian Lunt. Lunt explains that he is proud of Stone and all of the work he’s put in.
“He’s always one of the first guys in the gym and one of the last guys out,” Lunt said. “I think his hard work speaks volumes, and I think that will carry over to the next level for sure. He’s been a great friend off of the court. We both came [to Maclay] the same year and immediately clicked. We both play basketball and hang out outside of school. The friendship that we’ve [developed] here at Maclay will carry on into college and throughout the rest of our lives.”
Although Stone will miss his teammates and coaches at Maclay, he hopes to add length, defense and additional athleticism to the Aurora Men’s basketball team.
“I’m looking forward to a new experience and a new environment,” Stone said. “Playing with new people and getting the whole next-level experience is going to be great.”
