In the world of 6A high school basketball, varsity rosters are typically dominated by seasoned juniors and seniors—players who have spent years physically maturing and adjusting to the speed of the game. It is a rarity to see a freshman crack the starting lineup, let alone the roster.

But this season at Akins High School, the varsity boys basketball team has defied convention.

The Eagles have welcomed not one, but four freshmen to the varsity squad: Noah Hall, Andrew “Dru” Maldonado, and twin brothers Dante and Cross Emelue. This infusion of young talent is reshaping the team’s dynamic and setting the stage for the program’s future.

For these young athletes, the opportunity to compete at the highest level of high school sports is both a blessing and a challenge they are ready to meet.

The Multi-Sport Threat

For Noah Hall, stepping onto the varsity basketball court wasn’t his first taste of Friday night lights—or their gym equivalent. Hall transitioned directly from the varsity football turf to the hardwood, as he dominated both the field and the paint.

Despite the grueling schedule, Hall considers the court his home. Rather than taking other sports as a chore, he takes it as a personal challenge.

“Basketball is my main sport, so I’m always excited about playing and practicing,” Hall said. “I’m always looking forward to games.”

Hall views his multi-sport background as an advantage rather than a distraction. He believes the skills learned, he can use to translate his strengths to cover his different weaknesses in other sports.

“Every skill that I learn helps in another sport,” Hall said. “So it’s always helping another thing and I can hopefully turn that into something positive in the future.”

Managing the dual workload requires a maturity beyond his years. For Hall, it isn’t about finding motivation, but maintaining a strict routine. He believes that you do what you do because you have to, not because you feel like you should, and doing those things takes sacrifices setting away the bad influences or throwing away what you have to achieve more.

“It’s not really about what motivates me. It’s about being disciplined, so I find that discipline within myself,” Hall said. “You gotta really set away distractions, sacrifice some things that you wanna do and to do things that you should do in order to be successful.”

A Family Affair

Coming from a line of college athletes, among the four freshmen are Dante and Cross Emelue, twin brothers who share a jersey color and a support system. For both, their mother has been the driving force behind their basketball journey, pushing them to ball since they were jits.

Cross credits his mother for introducing him to the sport in the sixth grade. Since then, the game has become a central part of his life. When asked how it feels to compete at the varsity level so young, his answer was simple.

“It feels great,” Cross said. “It’s a blessing.”

Dante shares his brother’s sentiment, putting their thanks and faith to God but Dante  has his eyes set on a specific, ambitious horizon.

“I feel like it’s a big opportunity,” Dante said. “I’m doing this… until I make it to the NBA.”

Dante and Cross list their place of origin as Kuwait but coming into Texas, fresh out of middle school with d1 chemistry. They list each other and their mother as their biggest supporters. Off the court, they are typical teenagers, unwinding with video games and music, balancing the pressure of varsity sports “little by little,” as Cross puts it.

Pushing for Greatness

Rounding out the freshman quartet is Andrew “Dru” Maldonado. For Maldonado, making varsity wasn’t just about skill; it was about the environment. He credits the older players for helping him adapt to the speed and physicality of the varsity game.

“The players around me are helping me, pushing me to like, do more,” Maldonado said.

Inspired by his uncle to pursue the sport seriously, Maldonado sees the varsity experience as a chance to constantly improve.

“It’s a good experience,” he said. “Always just pushing to be better than others.”

When he isn’t on the court, Maldonado trades the fast-paced action for the patience of the golf course, a hobby that perhaps teaches him the focus needed for high-stakes games.

The Future is Now

While having four freshmen on varsity is unusual, it provides the Akins program with a unique advantage: time. These four players will have three more years to develop chemistry, refine their skills, and lead the team.

For now, they are focused on the current season, making new friends, and proving that age is just a number when you have the talent and discipline to compete.