Max Ho is a sophomore here at Edgemont, and he is a star on the Varsity Basketball team. Max made his first varsity appearance last year when he was called up from JV for their playoff game, and he made an immediate impact off the bench. Although the varsity team suffered a heartbreaking defeat, Max contributed vital minutes and was a helpful teammate off the court as well. This year, Max is back, and he’s better than ever. Max was named one of three captains for Edgemont’s Varsity Basketball team, an especially impressive feat considering he is still just a sophomore.
Max is a leader both on and off the court. Whether he is supporting his teammates or running the offense, he positively impacts the team. Even the casual observer notices and respects Max’s work ethic and desire to win. Assistant coach AJ Morales commented, “He’s a mentally strong-willed, passionate student-athlete.”
On top of being a superb all-around teammate, Max is an extremely talented player. Through ten games this season, he’s averaging 16 points, 8 assists, and 5 steals per game. Max has a lot of faith in his team, telling Campus, “The team is made up of a lot of young guys. There’s a lot of raw talent that needs to be developed. We’re going through the process every game and getting better every day. I’m excited to see how we grow throughout the season.”
Edgemont started their season with a tough opener against Nanuet and lost. Two more tough defeats followed, the first coming against Irvington and the second against Blindbrook in the Louie Larizza Jr. Memorial tournament. Blindbrook’s talented roster defeated Edgemont by 30 points. Sitting with a 0-3 record, the need for change was felt by all.
Max told us what he told the team after that game: “Today was the last time that we go onto that court and not give 100 percent. We will not win a single game this season if we do not give it our all, so from here on out, if you get in the game and you do not give your absolute best effort, then we have a huge problem.” This speech seemed to work well, as Edgemont would win their next two games by a combined total of just under 50 points.
Standing at 2-3, the team was prepared to play in the Robert E. Mayclim tournament against Westlake, who have had their number in the past. For the entire game, Edgemont played strong and managed to keep it close down to the wire. In an extremely tense fourth quarter, a buzzer-beating shot from half-court propelled them to their best victory all year.
The high didn’t last long, as they suffered an embarrassing defeat to Croton later that weekend in the finals of the tournament. Edgemont would bounce back once again, beating a tough Brewster team, and then defeating Children’s Village in a dominant showing. Since then, they have lost their two most recent games to Ardsley and Pelham.
Although Max is a key component in Coach Moses’s scheme, Max’s whole life doesn't revolve around basketball. Max is the definition of a student-athlete. He takes great pride in his school work and his grades. When he’s not playing basketball, he can be found doing homework, reading the AP Euro textbook, or practicing his piano skills. Like most other teenagers, Max can also be found hanging out with friends or playing video games in his free time. His favorite movie is Kung Fu Panda, his favorite subject math, his favorite NBA team the Chicago Bulls, and his favorite basketball player of all time Michael Jordan.
Overall, Max is an exemplary student-athlete and will hopefully help bring many trophies home during his varsity basketball career.