FREEDOM (NBC 26) — Freedom boys basketball is the team to beat in the North Eastern Conference, boasting an undefeated 16-0 record. But their success extends beyond their on-court performance. The Irish prioritize the mental side of the game, incorporating a mindset coach to strengthen their team unity.
“We always like to say there are two games going on,” mindset coach Lukas Jadin said. “One is the physical game that you see right in front of you, and then the second one is the game that’s happening between the ears on the mental side.”
Jadin, a Freedom High School graduate, works with various teams and organizations. This season marks his first year helping the Irish.
“I was just thinking of ways that we could get to the next level, right? And taking that mental side or that mental approach, I thought, could maybe help us—and so far, it has,” Freedom head coach Andrew Gibbons said. “We push our athletes in the weight room and on the floor, and a lot of times, the mental side of things can be neglected, if you will. But it can be just as important.”
One way Jadin has helped the team is by strengthening their connection.
“We have this big thing in Coach Gibbons’ classroom—it’s just a big ship,” sophomore guard Donovan Davis said. “He calls it ‘sink the ship.’ If you take one of those things out, the whole ship just sinks. It’s a bunch of negatives or positives that we’ve got to keep in check as a team.”
He also teaches them how to respond to challenges so they can face anything that comes their way.
“He gives us some good advice on how to control ourselves during the game, keep our energy levels up and reset after we make mistakes,” senior guard Drew Kortz said.
Jadin hopes these lessons carry beyond the basketball court.
“Their employer, their future kids someday—they aren’t gonna care how many points they scored. But they’ll care about how gritty they are, what their mindset is when tough things come up,” Jadin said. “I think a lot of these skills transfer into their future.”
The Irish believe these mental tools have already made a difference this season.
“It’s really nice. I mean, it helps with our mental health and makes us better players every single day,” Davis said.
Kortz agreed.
“If we didn’t have that, we might not be in the same position we are now,” he added.
With Kortz recently surpassing 1,000 career points and Davis just 16 points away as a sophomore, the Irish know they have the talent for a deep postseason run.
But what truly sets this team apart is their unity—something they’ve strengthened all season long.
