Kevin Rios is a sophomore at Blackwell High School and plays point guard for the Maroons’ basketball team.

Rios has been playing basketball since he was old enough to shoot a ball and has always had a love for the game. As a freshman, he was given the difficult task of starting on the varsity squad at point guard, but it was a challenge that he not only accepted but was excited to experience.

“It was stressful at times, but knowing Coach Hankins had confidence in me the whole time made all the pressure go away,” Rios said.

With a year of experience at the high school level under his belt, Rios has been playing with more swagger and confidence as a sophomore, and has been seeing all the hard work he put in over the offseason pay off on the court this year.

“My game has expanded tremendously,” he said. “I’m able to score at all three levels and my court vision has been better than ever.”

Rios said that he considers Kobe Bryant to be an inspirational figure because of his passion, commitment, and dedication to the game. He tries to emulate Bryant’s work ethic and willingness to compete at every opportunity.

As a point guard, Rios is tasked with leading the Maroons’ offense and there are certain characteristics that he looks for in teammates.

“The best characteristic a leader can have is accountability and the ability to push their teammates to become the best version of themselves on and off the court,” he said.

As the season continues, Rios is looking forward to continuing to compete with his teammates and making more memorable moments as a Maroon.

Outside of basketball, Rios also plays on the Blackwell varsity football team and said that he hopes to earn a basketball scholarship before graduating to continue his playing career and education at the collegiate level.