Sophomore Siddharth Donthireddy is the youngest player on the Phoenix basketball team, but he doesn’t get intimidated by it. Instead, he pushes forward, displaying confidence and determination when he is on the court. “It’s a lot of responsibility to be the youngest player and  show up to practice consistently,” Donthireddy said. He turned what could have been a disadvantage into something that motivated him. He’s liked basketball since he was in sixth grade when he played for the Stone Hill Middle School team. Donthireddy had a passion for soccer as well, but it’s a sport that he decided to not pursue further. 

Donthireddy feels that the season has been going really well for the team this season. “We only lost one game and we have the chance to make it very far in district playoffs and so on,” Donthireddy said. 

Regarding his individual contributions, Donthireddy believes that he’s done well and looks forward to the success of the team. As he has had time to develop with the core group, Donthireddy will remain a critical part of the team for years to come after making an impact and learning from more seasoned players. Donthireddy cherishes the memories that he’s made this season with his teammates, and he’s excited to see where his skills will take him next.  “My favorite memory was probably when the Coach announced after a varsity practice that I was going to play my first varsity game the next day, and everyone on the team surrounded me and started dancing and hyping me up,” Donthireddy said. 

He also shared that his journey to making the team was a hard one, especially this early in his high school career. “Making varsity was a lot of work,” Donthireddy said. “I practiced by myself for hours everyday working on things to get better. I would also go to the gym to get stronger, since I wanted to play  JV or varsity against the older kids. I would also show up to every workout, and do my best.” 

Initially, he didn’t think he was going to make varsity at all during his freshman year. He felt that he wasn’t strong or skilled enough. Because of this, he practiced shooting three-pointers until he became consistent. The varsity head coaches recognized his talent and encouraged Donthireddy to practice with the rest of the varsity team. “I practiced one skill until I was really good at it and that was shooting threes,” Donthireddy said. “The varsity coaches needed my shooting skills and decided to let me practice with them.” 

After graduating from high school, Donthireddy wishes to play in college, but he wants to focus on his education first. “I do wish to play basketball after highschool in college, but I also want to focus on my education after highschool,” Donthireddy said. Playing basketball in college would be a “dream come true” for Donthireddy.