Borah basketball: Brock Holubetz profile

In early June, I interviewed Borah (Idaho) center Brock Holubetz, who played on the Lions' state championship team. Here's the article that will appear in the team's basketball yearbook.

Brock Holubetz:

Lions’ big man appreciated being challenged

and making this season one to remember

By Bruce Smith

Matchup

            As much as the Borah boys basketball team would like to believe it was easily Idaho’s best high school team in 2011-12, Brock Holubetz knew better.
            The Lions’ 6-foot-9 senior center admitted the team went through a lot en route to a 25-1 record that included the 5A state championship.
            For Holubetz, and teammates like Gomane Boller, Drue Hall and Ben Tucakovic, the road started in eighth grade, when they combined to lead South Junior High to the Boise City championship. It ended, of course, with Borah’s convincing 49-31 win over Post Falls at the Idaho Center.
            Holubetz said one of his favorite memories was the last minute of that game.
            “Coach (Cary) Cada called a timeout. Our starters were still on the floor and coach pointed to five other seniors and said, ‘1, 2, 3, 4, 5 … go check in.’
            “It was at that point where I realized we had accomplished our ultimate goal. We were state champions,” he said. “We realized it was done. I loved the way coach did it. He didn’t help us off. That was it. It was the state championship, and one of the best games I’ve ever played in.
            “The last minute went by slowly. I was sitting next to Ben and Isaiah (Wright). We were just absorbing everything, looking in the stands and watching the game. That was one of the biggest moments for me.”
            Holubetz played a key role in Borah’s success. Growing up, he was not just big, but athletic. He competed in wrestling, BMX (motocross), cross-country and track and field, but it was basketball where he succeeded the most. As a senior, he averaged 6.4 points per game, 4.0 rebounds and led the team in blocked shots.
            Holubetz was known mostly for his defense, but had a high game of 13 points against Vallivue. His best game? That was easy. He saved it for last.
            Going against two 6-6 players from Post Falls, he had eight points, seven rebounds, a blocked shot and two steals. For his efforts, Idahosports.com, which broadcast the game via the Internet, named him and Wright the co-MVPs of the game.
            “It was a fun game,” Holubetz recalled. “I just tried to treat it like any other game. I really didn’t realize I was in the state championship game until I was sitting at my house at about 11:30 in the morning, putting my shoes on.
            “I was getting ready for a game for the last time, and my dad said, ‘you just realized this?’ It was at that point where I knew I had to have a good game.”
            Holubetz always had that kind of potential. He played two seasons on the varsity. In his first game, last year against Bishop Kelly, he scored 14 points and had a time in the third quarter when he scored 10 straight.
            When he was inspired, he was the best big man in the league. However, occasionally he was one of several guys who needed to be “kick started.” Borah had plenty of size, talent and athleticism. However, it wasn’t until the final game where the Lions felt they played a full game.
            Holubetz said that, while he felt Borah had the most talent, it was coaching that got them there.
            “We had a lot of wake-up calls,” he said.
            Unlike most coaches, Holubetz said Cada was mostly soft-spoken, choosing to teach the players instead of inciting fear. Coming into the year, every Borah player knew of the team’s potential and last season’s semifinal loss to Mountain View provided the Lions with a grudge.
            When that wore off, Cada helped them again to remember.
            “There were quite a few halftime talks that inspired us,” Holubetz said. “He would just freak out to try to get us to play better.
            “There were several times … Boise, Meridian … and I remember we were playing Eagle in the district semifinal. We were down at half. We came in (the locker room) and coach was just livid. He was screaming at us, telling us to get it going.
            “But from there, everything clicked together. We started to play really well.”
            Borah’s success helped Holubetz attract attention from a few schools. He accepted a scholarship to play basketball at Wenatchee Valley (Wash.) College. He said he hoped to start toward an education degree and perhaps play elsewhere later.
            “It was a great season, and one I’ll remember forever,” he said. “I hope we’re not just remembered for winning the championship, but for being guys who would just make things happen.”