In our player evaluation of 5’11 Michal Seals, we stated the following, “Michal is an all energy/high motor PG that plays the game with effort and passion. No matter the venue or setting, Michal comes to play and will do whatever is needed to secure his team a win. He has great open court speed and is a blur in transition. In addition, he gives equal effort defensively as he does on the offensive end of the court. What Michal lacks in size, he more than makes up with heart and desire. He’s a player that you always want on your side when going to battle.”
Last week, High Point Christian played at home against NCISAA 3A and hometown rival Wesleyan Christian Academy. These two teams have enjoyed some intense rivalries on the years and this game was no exception. Trailing 69-68 with 30 seconds remaining in the game, it was 5’11 unsigned senior Michal Seals hitting the game winning shot with 12.6 seconds remaining. (See attached video) https://makeplayz.com/bam-adebayo-leads-high-point-christian-over-wesleyan-christian
For Michal Seals, he has seen more than his share of adversity in his personal life and his basketball career. Last year, Michal lost his mother. Losing a family member is never easy, but losing your mom at such an early age has to be devastating. That being said, the one thing Michal could rely on is his time in the gym. Michal is the ultimate “gym rat” and is always working on his game. Unfortunately, Michal has always been the one player that continues to fly under the recruiting radar. Standing a generous 5’11, Michal has always been the one player, no matter the venue, that will give you maximum effort and energy. While some players are wired to score, Michal is wired to compete! That’s his DNA.
After being a starter for the past two seasons at High Point Christian, Michal was delegated to coming off the bench. 6’10 senior Edrice Adebayo (Kentucky), 6’3 junior Michael Hewitt, and 5’11 senior Ty Graves (Boston College) all transferred to High Point Christian. While many players would have pouted or even transferred, Michal Seals decided to stay put and fight for his playing time. As the season progressed, Michal worked hard to regain his starting position. Through hard work and relentless dedication, he became more important game by game and eventually hit the game winner.
In our preseason open gym report, we wrote, “This year, Coach Brandon Clifford’s team is absolutely loaded. As he will rightfully try to quiet the high expectations, it will be players like Michal Seals that may have a huge impact on the team’s success. You see, Michal is a true competitor. He does all the simply things that are necessary for his team to win. He doesn’t make the game about him, but puts his effort and energy into the team’s success. Michal brings toughness and an aggressive defensive approach that will be a customary sight to HC Brandon Clifford.”
It’s always great to see a young player like Michal Seals to be awarded for his work hard. Every game is an opportunity for Michal to demonstrate his value. Many of his attributes are quite noticeable, while many of his intangibles can’t be measured in the box score. He’s always been the ultimate competitor and will contribute anyway he can to help his team win. For Michal Seals, he’s a team first player that has done it the old fashioned way, through hard work and determination. In addition, Michal sports an impressive 3.2 GPA in the classroom. While Michal hit the game winner against Wesleyan Christian, it should be well noted that he is a winner in the game of life. Things have not always gone his way, but one thing is for sure, he never quits and continues his relentless work ethic.
Michal’s story
In speaking with Michal, he used three words to describe himself. He used the words hungry, humble and determined. For Michal, he comes from a Lancaster, PA. One of his childhood dreams was to play on TV, which was achieved when High Point Christian played the number one ranked team in the country (Chino Hills) on ESPNU. Michal stated, “The 2015-16 season has by far been the hardest season he has ever faced. I lost my mother last April heading into the AAU season. After losing my mom, I truly began to understand all the little saying my aunt would say to me whenever I felt defeated or frustrated. My aunt would always tell me that you play every play as if it’s your last and that no one can ever take from you what God has given you. I really didn’t believe in the last statement too much until this coming year. Not only did I lose my mother, I returned to school my senior year looking forward to starting my senior season. I went from starting point guard my whole basketball career to the sixth man who played very few minutes the beginning of the season. I was determined to fight through the obstacles that lay before me. I was humble enough to wait my turn, hungry enough to show the world that my presence on the court was needed. Our common goal is to win a state championship and we all believe we can have success playing at the next level. It’s not everyday, a 5’11 guard gets to play with a potential NBA draft pick in Edrice “Bam” Adebayo. I told myself that I would stay the course, work hard on my craft and when the opportunity came knocking for me to show college coaches that I had the ability to play at the next level I would be ready.
If that day never comes I will continue to make lemonade with my lemons because I know God has brought me a long way from home. I’m a kid from a small town who landed in the mecca state for basketball and was still able to make my mark. I was afforded an opportunity to play for 3 great men who are Travis Holcomb-Faye, Craig Dawson and Kenneth Bates. These 3 men have coached me my entire AAU career. I played high-level basketball with these men and they helped me improve my game every year. It was Coach Dawson who helped me improve my IQ levels of the game. It was Coach Travis who believed in me when no one else did. Coach Travis was more than a coach he was a father figure to me. When my mother died he and coach Bates arrived at my home that evening to tell me they loved me and believed in me. It’s important for a young man to know that they are loved and that someone believes in them. Coach Travis helped me get my first full scholarship offer to play basketball at the next level. While all 3 men inspired me to be great I’d have to admit that it is Coach Bates who is able to bring the ultimate competitor out of me. All 3 coaches will forever be a part of my life. We spent 4 years together. They helped me become the man I am today. Now as I get the opportunity to play for a high caliber coach such as Coach Clifford at HPCA I will continue to leave it all on the court in hopes to help my team win a state championship.
I have been through a lot in my life but one thing I know for sure is “quitting” is never an option. When I find myself feeling down I reference the poem by Langston Hughes “Mother to Son” I love this poem for so many reasons. The irony in my admiration for this poem is that my mother is no longer here on this earth but if she was I’m sure this would be our conversation with each other. My advice to any kid out there that is working hard on the court, winning games, making sacrifices for his team but the hard work goes unnoticed don’t give up! Never give up, quitting is not an option!”