Sam Geschickter ’16 has always loved to shoot hoops.  At six years old, he would play in his driveway for hours, then race into his kitchen and scream, “1,000 shots!”

“He liked working on something until he got it just right,” said his mother, Michelle Sommer, during a recent event to celebrate Mr. Geschickter. “He has always been a super-hard worker.”

That hard work paid off on Monday, November 16, when Mr. Geschickter signed a national letter of intent to play with the Bentley University Falcons next year.

Mr. Geschickter’s work-ethic and passion for basketball has been a key to his success since he was a kid.   As soon as he was able, “he used to wake up at 5:00 a.m. and get himself to the YMCA to work out. Then he would come home, shower, and go to school,” Mrs. Sommer said.

Mr. Geschickter’s dedication to improving his skills was one of the key factors that caught the interest of Williston varsity boys basketball coach, Mike Shelton.

“Sam’s best attributes are his tireless work ethic and his ability to shoot the basketball,” he said.  “We will use him in a variety of ways offensively, and he will be an important part to us rebounding the ball given his height (6’5″).”

When asked about who has inspired him during his time on campus, Mr. Geschickter was quick to acknowledge Coach Shelton’s influence.

“He taught me to be relentless as a player,” he said. “He always held me accountable to become better, and I improved a lot over the last year because of that.”

In fact, that is why Mr. Geschickter chose to come to Williston, “he wanted an environment that would give him the opportunity to work even harder.”

“I will definitely miss the community here and knowing everyone around the school,” he added when reflecting upon his time on campus. “At Williston I have become more involved in different aspects of the school, and I am more open to trying new things and meeting new people than I was before.”

When it came time for Mr. Geschickter to decide where to play after Williston, the clear choice was Bentley University because it fit everything that he was looking for in a school. Its strong business program, great facilities, tight-knit team, and Coach Lawson’s faith in him, were all important factors that led him to choose Bentley.

Over the last 25 years, Coach Lawson has transformed Bentley University’s men’s basketball into a highly competitive program. A seven-time champion of the Northeast-10 Conference, and a nine-time NCAA Division II tournament participant, the team that Mr. Geschickter joins has already established itself as one of the most decorated programs in the Northeast. The Falcons have reached the Final Four on two occasions, in 2007-2008 and 2009-2010.

“Their fast pace and free-flowing offense really fits my game well,” said Mr. Geschickter. “The guys that I am going to be playing with are really talented and smart, and Coach Lawson will help me become a really good player.”

Before Mr. Geschickter steps on the court for the Falcons next year, he has an exciting winter ahead of him as an important member of Coach Shelton’s Class A Champion Wildcats. Williston will be cheering Mr. Geschickter and his teammates on as they look to defend their title this season.