It would have been a dream come true for Jaxon if he would have had a chance to play with his brother at the DRCSS.
While they never did get the chance to ball it out on the court, they support each other and Josh loves to watch his little brother live out his basketball dream with the Dauphin Clippers varsity boys team. Jaxon only started playing in grade eight and after being a practice player for the majority of his grade nine season, Jaxon took his game to the next level and earned consistent playing time in grade 10.
Standing 6'3" with an incredible work ethic and soft touch around the rim, Larocque decided to start playing the sport because his older brother did.
"I love how the game works and getting to go places and visit new gyms is exciting," said Larocque. "It's all about communication and running plays. I've made many lifelong friends and I am very happy that I decided to play."
Now in grade 11, Jaxon wasn’t sure what to expect heading into the season. As a rookie at the varsity level with just three years of experience, the odds were stacked against him if he wanted to make the team and earn playing time.
But Jaxon defied those odds. He not only made the squad—he’s become a key player in a season where the Clippers are absolutely dominating!
"I was very happy when I made the team," commented Larocque. "Being a part of this has made me so happy. Getting to see how hard everyone works. We have an incredible group and it means everything to me that I get a chance to be a part of it."
"From when I first started to now, I have gained so much confidence in my abilities," continued Larocque. "I felt lost on the court when I first started. I now believe I'm a key part of this team. I can make smart decisions and it helps that I'm playing with such a great group of guys."
Following the team's win on Saturday against Moose Lake, Larocque was named to the tournament's all-star team, alongside his teammate Parker Schau. Just like Jaxon had a great performance against Moose Lake, so did Schau scoring 27 points with eight assists and two steals. Nick Hudyma, who had a monster performance in the final with 40 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists was named the tournament's most valuable player.
"It felt amazing to be named to the all-star team, such a great feeling to achieve that," commented Larocque. "It shows that my hard work is paying off and that means a lot to me."
Dauphin has won eight of their 10 games this season and their success has not gone unnoticed. In the most recent power rankings from the Manitoba High School Athletics Association (MHSAA), the Clippers are the fifth-ranked 'AAA' team in Manitoba. Garden Valley, Neelin, Linden Christian, and St. James are the only teams ahead of the Clippers.
"That feels amazing. Knowing that we're on the leaderboard in and in the fifth spot is incredible for our group," ended Larocque. "We're going to keep pushing, we want to go higher and believe that we can."
Jaxon has plenty to be proud of and the future is bright on and off the court for the Dauphin star.