EDWARDSVILLE - Chris "Champ" Chipman is emerging as a key player for Metro-East Lutheran's boys basketball team, providing energy and spark to the Knights on the floor.
Chipman scored three points in Metro-East's 60-51 win at Thomas Hooks Gym over Marquette Catholic Feb. 22, one of two wins on the week for the Knights, with the second coming Feb. 25, a 60-28 win at Father McGivney Catholic. The win was a very good bounce back for the Knights after having two tough losses at Collinsville and Breese Mater Dei Catholic the weekend before.
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In an interview conducted following the Knights' win over the Explorers, Chipman expressed how he and the team felt to get back on the winning track.
Chipman is the Ronald Harris - Farmers Insurance - Metro East Lutheran Male Athlete of the Month.
"Yes, sir, it was good to be back," Chipman said. "Be back at home, have good energy, good chemistry with the team. Some good team wins."
Against Marquette, Chipman felt that the Knights needed to have togetherness on the team to come back from the weekend, and it indeed happened.
"This game, we just need a lot of camaraderie amongst each other to get our chemistry back," Chipman said. "We took a couple of tough L's, but we talked it out, worked out the issues, and then we came out here and executed the game plan, and used a lot of high intensity, and then, care out with the win."
The two big men for the Knights, A.J. Smith and DaMarkus Bean, had great games against Marquette, scoring 17 points each, and Chipman also contributed a key basket as well.
"A.J and DaMarkus were huge in this game," Chipman said. "They really didn't have an answer for those size match ups, and A.J. and DaMarkus played smart; they didn't get into foul trouble. So they played really well tonight."
"It was just good to be back," he said. "It didn't take long and everyone was pretty much in shape and we hit the ground running."
As along with all the other players in the area and state, Chipman was very happy and grateful to be able to play after having several doubts about the season because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
"Oh, definitely. We love it," Chipman said. "I wouldn't change it for the world, so I'm super happy that we're back. Especially this being my last year as a senior."
