Bloomingdale Senior Sykes Finds Inspiration on the Court

Two years ago, Demetrius Sykes didn't have much of a future with the basketball team.

This year, he was a team captain.

As the team's No. 2 scoring option, Sykes became an essential part of the Bulls collecting 10 victories for the season and making the district semifinals. His team's loss to top-seeded Wharton on Wednesday night could have been his final game on the court, but Sykes is hoping that he can find a college where he can play basketball.

"I hope not," Sykes said about Wednesday being his final game. "My coaches are helping me get my information out there to schools, and I'm taking the ACT again this Saturday. I would love to find a place to play. There are a few schools who could be interested, but nothing definite yet."

Sykes, a native of Queens, NY, originally lived with his grandmother in the Big Apple borough but moved to Florida at the age of 6 with his aunt and uncle after she passed away.

His mother struggled with drug addiction while his father, an alcoholic, was not around much. Neither were options for the young Sykes to live with. Rather than expose a child to the harshness of that lifestyle, his uncle, Eugene Slater, decided to take Sykes and his older brother to Florida with his own family.

"He's my son now," Slater said. "He's a tough kid, and I didn't expect him to play basketball. I'm so proud of him for what he's done because he hasn't had the easiest path. ... I just want Demetrius to go on to play in college and not look back. The game has brought him discipline, and I want him to pursue it as far as he can."

Despite his family situation growing up, Sykes has never let it make him negative. He would hit the playground to work on his shot or go to the YMCA to shoot around. He never joined a league or played organized basketball until his sophomore year of high school.

In his first year as a shooting guard, Sykes worked on his ball handling and defensive skills. Coach Joe Willis had an eye on Sykes, but really didn't think that the Bulls had found much at first.

"As he has developed he has gotten better and better," Willis said. "He went from someone I didn't see as part of our future to someone who started every game in his junior and senior year. His work ethic was the key factor because his focus is to out work everybody else on the floor."

This season, Sykes and fellow senior Ryan Bethony led the Bulls in scoring and served as the team's one-two punch. More important than his role as a scorer and key defensive stalwart has been Sykes' presence as a vocal leader in the locker room.

"Some of my best memories from high school will be the moments in the locker room motivating my teammates," Sykes said. "I'm kind of harsh on my teammates, but they understand what I'm saying. I'll miss seeing them smile after a hard practice and when all the work pays off."

That hard work has translated into stellar defense and a major improvement on the offensive end, where he averaged 12.5 points per game this season while shooting 40 percent from three-point range. He finished second on the team in scoring, assists and steals.

The improvement has partially been thanks to the mentoring of Bulls assistant Dwight Campbell, who has worked with Sykes since he first brought him onto the JV team. Whether it's meant meeting him at the park or the YMCA away from the school or spending time with Sykes just getting to know the 17-year-old, Campbell has become like family.

"When I met him you could tell he had the ability, but he hadn't played basketball much," Campbell said. "I got to know his family and really came to know him off the court. We're much closer than a coach and player; I feel more like an older brother. His work ethic is what drew me to him because he's extremely dedicated to getting better. I appreciate that competitive drive."

For Sykes, basketball has been the key to his success off the court. Using the game as motivation, Sykes has grown from a C student into a solid A and B student and a college hopeful.

"Basketball kept me from being one of those kids who uses not having their parents in his life as an excuse," Sykes said. "Basketball was my way to get away from everything and to this day still is. It means a lot more to me than I think it does to most people. I take out all my emotion on the court, and the thing I'll remember most from high school basketball is how I took all my weaknesses and made them strengths."