WHEN THE BUZZER SOUNDED AT THE END OF THE GAME, BAKARI LASTRAP FELT IT
He felt the joy and at the same time the bitter sweetness of his career ending the only way he thought it should – as a state champion.
"I can't express it enough. Being a state champion, everybody doesn't come across this. This year was the right team, right family, it's just all love," LaStrap said. "I can't thank the man up above enough."
LaStrap arrived at The Woodlands Christian Academy as a sophomore. He wanted his class to be the ones to leave a lasting legacy. When he walked onto campus, the Warriors hadn't won a basketball state title since 2012. It was Tanner Field's second season at the helm of the program. The year prior to LaStrap arriving, the Warriors had made the TAPPS Final Four but fell in the state semifinals.
As LaStrap walked off the court one last time in February, he did so with a legacy cemented – threestraight TAPPS Final Fours, three-straight title games and two state championships.
"Bakari LaStrap is the type of young man you would love to replicate every year," Field said. "He has been a blessing to our basketball program and overall school community. He is a great leader on and off the court and will be missed. He joined us to help lead our program to a championship level both on the court and culturally. He for sure did that and much more."
With the high school portion of his career over, LaStrap looks back on it knowing he was able to do things others dream of. "This is every high school basketball kid's dream, finishing off with a state championship," LaStrap said. "Having two, it's a lot of hard work. Everything behind the scenes paid