Ezekiel Griffith towered over his peers. It was hard for the 6-foot-8 junior to blend in when he first arrived at Bel Air, making it easy for the boys basketball players to identify him as someone who could help the Bobcats on the court.

Two players, who Griffith now says are some of his closest friends, approached their slender new classmate about trying out for the team. They went to a neighborhood court after school to see if Griffith could play, and soon realized his potential.

Griffith moved to Bel Air last December from Guyana, a country with a population less than 1 million on the northern coast of South America. He played basketball sparingly there. This winter season is his first playing the sport in an organized fashion. And through basketball, he’s adjusting to his new life and learning to deal with the ups and downs a season brings.

Griffith trained extensively with Bel Air assistant coaches over the summer to prepare for his first season, honing his raw athleticism into someone who could fit into what the Bobcats aimed to accomplish as a collective. He played basketball in Guyana, but said it wasn’t as organized as it is in the U.S. and primarily played soccer growing up. He’s enjoying basketball now, particularly the relationships he’s formed through it.

But it hasn’t all been smooth. Griffith said he hears fierce taunts from opposing student sections, who poke fun at his height and occasional gaffes that come with learning the sport as he goes. Just as coaches and teammates are helping him on the court, they’re teaching him to roll with the verbal punches that may come from the bleachers.

Griffith recently talked to The Aegis about his upbringing, basketball and Bel Air’s season.

How’s this first year of basketball going for you?

I’m enjoying the new move, the changing environment and everything. It’s a big shift from basketball in South America to basketball in America, but it’s been good so far. Coaches have been making me comfortable, players too, everything. It’s a nice, comfortable environment.

Tell me about the work you did over the summer to prepare for this season

They met me during the spring, when I was at the Bel Air courts, and they heard about me being in the school. They really put time and effort, investing in getting me better and ready for the season.

How would you compare your basketball skills to soccer skills?

I have a way better understanding of soccer. Basketball, I’m more talented. But soccer, I have a better understanding.

What’s the biggest difference between basketball here and in Guyana?

It’s just more organized. It’s not just a bunch of freestyling. Way more plays, way more set plays, way more coaching, the X’s and O’s aspect of the game.

What was growing up in Guyana like?

I’m from Georgetown [nation’s capital, most populous city]. Fairly decent life, not too much of a struggle, but there had been some struggles. Our grandmother migrated here way before us, some other family too. We got our opportunity, so we decided we were gonna take it and move to a better education, better facilities for basketball and soccer, learning, colleges, etc…

Were you scared to leave?

I think fitting in probably was my main concern. Like, how people would react or respond to me just showing up in the middle of the school year and being a part of their everyday life.

Has basketball helped with that?

Basketball really has helped. Gage [Shaw], Cooper [Rey], they were my first two friends here. They mainly introduced me to everybody. They saw this new tall kid and instantly wanted him on the basketball team. They hit me up on Snapchat, sometimes in the hallways. One day, Gage took me to play some basketball at the courts, and we were just friends from there.

How’s this season gone for you?

It’s been a decent season. I’m still learning a lot of stuff, like, in terms of organized basketball. And when that comes, I feel like I’m just gonna be a way better player. I feel like I’m almost there.

Would you say you’re enjoying it as much as soccer?

I am enjoying basketball. The only thing I don’t like is the student section part of it. They have a lot to say. They say, ‘6-foot-8 for nothing.’ It bugs me sometimes, but I just learned to ignore it. Where I’m from, we don’t do that. There’s no trash talking. That threw me way off. Coaches just said ‘don’t bother with the bickering, just be the player you can be.’

How’s this season gone for Bel Air?

We had a rough start team wise. Bonding, a lot of new pieces, I’m new here, some other newer faces to the team. Connecting as a team was our problem. It wasn’t a problem of talent, coaching, none of that. It’s just us being able to play together, killing those bad habits, adjusting to not having your friend you’ve had for the past four years on the team with you.

How’s first-year coach Julian Pickett been?

He’s been a good coach, he’s really been a coach who’s looking out for not just me, but everybody. He wants to see the best in all of us. I could see he’s really into the coaching and being a good coach. He does everything in his power to ensure that he’s being that guy that we need to win games. Discipline carries you a long way, and that’s how we won that game against North Hartford. They beat us the first time, but we came out, we were disciplined, we listened to what he said. We pulled out that game. We weren’t quarreling on the bench, we went out there and blew them out. Discipline definitely takes you a long way.

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