FARMVILLE, Va. – Longwood men's basketball hosts Gallaudet on Monday morning for Education Day at the Joan Perry Brock Center. The Lancers have won nine straight and boast a 9-1 record on the young season.
 
Sam Hovan, Voice of the Lancers, had a chance to catch up with two of the team's captains, DA Houston and Michael Christmas, to chat about where the team is, where its going, and the journey that they have been on.
 
Sam: Right now, we're about 1/3 of the way through the season. What's the journey been like so far?
 
DA Houston: The journey's been great. It's been a great learning experience for me, personally, and as a team as we've got a lot of new people and for me being in a new role as a leader. But so far, it's been a great journey. It's been fun. I love the new guys.
 
Michael Christmas: It's been pretty good. I feel like the team has improved a lot over the whole season. As long as we keep improving, I feel like we are going to be good.
 
Sam: What's been fun?
DA: Learning more about myself. Different qualities that I'm not used to using that I can enhance at times. It's been a good learning experience. I'm really enjoying it.
 
Michael: The team being young. I'm an older guy now, so it's good to have some young guys keep me young, keep me energized.
 
Sam: Mike, what's it like being the old guy now?
 
Michael: I've only been like that in high school, and even in high school, I was like the fourth oldest. But right now, me and Walyn are the oldest on the team, so it's kind of weird. But it's cool. I like being old. They listen to you more. You feel like a better leader for them, show them the ropes and that kind of stuff. That's a pretty good upside to it.
 
Sam: How do you show the ropes?
 
Michael: I try to lead by example. Leading by example, when you tell somebody something, then they're like, 'Oh, you're doing it, so I definitely should do it.'
 
Sam: DA, how about you? What's it like learning to be a leader?
 
DA:  Seeing where I can show them myself, where I can be a better example. So evaluating myself first, making sure I'm meeting that standard for those guys so they can see. Make it easier for them to follow someone who is exemplifying what I'm preaching. Still being positive with them. When everything goes wrong, letting them know, it's not the end of the world, and I'm here for them. It's all part of the journey.
I keep learning every week. We've got a long way to go, but its fine having new guys and trying to help lead them, especially early in their careers. Trying to give them advice, a little old head advice.
 
Sam: Is it weird being the old head?
DA: It does feel weird. I'm used to being the young guy under somebody's wing, but I'm enjoying it though.
 
Sam: What was it like giving a speech at the opening of the Joan Perry Brock Center [Houston gave a speech, along with Anne-Hamilton LeRoy from the Longwood women's basketball team, as part of the grand opening ceremony in August]?
 
DA: I wasn't too nervous. I've spoken in front of big crowds before, but it was a great honor to be able to speak in front of all those people for something so special for the university.
 
Sam: What's been surprising so far?
 
DA: I mean, I knew we could be good, but how good we can really be, our potential, really surprised me. It's surprising how much we can really grow. We are good right now, but we have a long ways to go.
 
Michael: Not really anything surprising. More how well we are playing right now. I knew we were going to have a lot of growing pains, but we're playing pretty well still, even with all the new guys we've got. That would be the only surprising thing.
 
Sam: There have been stretches where you guys seem completely connected. What's it feel like, on the court, when the team is in rhythm?
 
DA: It feels like we are unstoppable, tough. It's a great feeling. It feels special because there's a good feeling when you have a group of guys behind that have your back, and knowing that they have your back, so having that connection, it's a good feeling.
 
Michael: It feels good. When you're in the zone like that, you feel like you're in another place. It's a great feeling to have that connectedness with all the guys on the court. It creates a brotherhood too, so that's a great part about it.
 
Sam: What's been a strong point so far for you guys as a team?
 
DA: How good we can be on defense. I feel like we've got size, and our athleticism is the best I've seen in a while. Guys are hungry and want to win.
 
Michael: Definitely defense. I feel like, when we're getting stops, we get to run out, fast break and then that's also our best offense too, because it helps us get easy points.
 
Sam: What's the next step for the team to grow?
 
DA: Stay hungry. Learn from our mistakes. Each game, see where we can get better.
 
Michael: Being more consistent with our competitiveness. Coming out and really beating teams early instead of letting them wait around, being more consistent with that.
 
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