Whenever the Corning boys basketball team has needed a spark or a clutch basket this season, they've called upon Michael Shoemaker. The 6-foot-6 junior is a true leader who plays the game like there's no tomorrow.
No one can question how much Corning junior Michael Shoemaker loves basketball. He even carries his schoolbooks around in a Michael Jordan backpack.
"I play every day, it's the only sport I play, 24/7, I sleep basketball, I eat basketball," said Shoemaker.
Coincidentally, Shoemaker feasts on opposing defenses.
On Tuesday, he exploded for 19 points as the Cardinals moved to 9-0 with a 66-50 win over previously undefeated Orland.
"If we play like that as a team it's going to be hard to beat us," added Shoemaker.
His performance was just another in a long line of sucessful games this season. Currently he averages 18 points and 13 rebounds a contest.
Coach Bill Mache says Shoemaker's attitude and drive are what makes him a stellar basketball player.
"He's worked out to make himself stronger and its paying off on the court. He's just a good person, works real hard, his teammates hove him and as a result we have some real good chemistry," said Mache.
"Everybody plays as a team, it's not any individual, like I might put up the numbers, but I don't hog it, if someone is open I pass it out," said Shoemaker.
Shoemaker's leadership qualities extend to the classroom as well where he carries a 3.75 GPA.
Eventually he would like to earn a scholarship to play division one basketball, and his coach thinks that's a legitimate possibility as long as he continues to work hard each and every day.
"Michael's driven on a daily basis to just do things right and he wants to achieve, he has some long range goals, but he wants to achieve things on a daily basis because he understands that every day is important and I think that he's going to get to wherever he wants to get to as a result of that attitude and that outlook," said Mache.
Shoemaker's work ethic and athleticism are why he's our Subway Scholar Athlete of the Week.
