Two-sports standout helping Mustangs into playoffs

The Grapevine boys basketball is firmly entrenched in the playoff hunt in District 8-5A this season, and Boone Montgomery has certainly done his part to help the team along the way.

Coach Jeremy Mills said that one of the things he most appreciates about Montomgery is that he is a pressure player who is especially clutch when the game is on the line.

“Boone is an extremely tough competitor who loves to win,” Mills said. “The better the competition, the better he performs. He has shown the ability to hit clutch free-throws and make huge fourth quarter shots when we need a basket.”

Mills said that Montgomery is equally talented in the sport of baseball, and the coach said his goals for him for in the basketball season are pretty straightforward.

“We need him to help lead us to the playoffs,” Mills said. “His experience as a three-year varsity basketball player and being a state champion Division I baseball player is invaluable to our team.

“He knows what it takes to win games and is capable of taking over down the stretch with his playmaking abilities.”

Montgomery said he has been pleased with the way that things have unfolded so far this season.

“It’s been a real competitive season,” Montgomery said. “There is a lot of talent in our district. It’s going to be a tight race until the end.”

The Grapevine senior said that he tries to bring a couple of things to the team.

“There is so much talent on this team,” Montgomery said. “My role is to play aggressive and to bring an energy both offensively and defensively.”

Montgomery is headed to the University of Texas at Arlington next year on a baseball scholarship, and said while he loves the sport of basketball, he has more talent in baseball.

“I have played both baseball and basketball my entire life, and playing under Coach Hutch [baseball coach Steve Hutcherson] and Coach Mills has been a great blessing,” Montgomery said. “Baseball has always come easier to me, and with a baseball scholarship, I look forward to my collegiate career at UTA, but I’m going to miss playing basketball, especially here at Grapevine.”

Mills said that Montgomery is the type of player and student that coaches like to have on their teams.

“He won a baseball state championship last spring, and has been a two-year starter on the varsity basketball team,” Mills said. “He’s a special student-athlete and represents everything we want from our young men here at Grapevine High School.”

This story was originally published January 30, 2017 at 1:43 PM with the headline "Two-sports standout helping Mustangs into playoffs."