He developed the love for the sport early on, and played on a team when he was in eighth grade. After promoting to a freshman, he was excited to try out for the boys basketball team, but when Matthew Greenberg learned that he didn’t have the grades to play, he was crushed.

“It was my fault,” he said. “I didn’t take it seriously.” Now a senior, he reflects that he didn’t think freshman year really mattered and didn’t realize that maintaining good grades was important.

“I was really disappointed in myself freshman year,” Greenberg said. Keeping up grades can be difficult, but when Greenberg realizes his are slipping, the thought of being cut from the team his freshman year always reminds him to do his work, so he can stay eligible to play.

“Definitely, basketball pushes me a little more,” he said.

But it doesn’t stop at grades. Whether he’s shooting around at home, or working hard during practice, Greenberg always aims to improve his game. Last season, he didn’t get much playing time. Now, with the desire to be better, he’s determined to get it.

His goal for the season is for his team to make it to playoffs. Last year, he was really proud when the team made it, and now he wants to be apart of it again this year, to finish off his last season on a “high note,” the senior said.

“I want to be better than I was last year,” he said. “If you improve yourself individually, then the whole team gets better.”

Greenberg admits that he wants to be apart of the team’s journey to victory by scoring points, but in the end, he has one thing in mind.

“I just want our team to win,” he said.