It’s a dream junior Faisal Mohamud has had since he was in 3rd grade—to play under the bright lights of high school basketball’s biggest stage—Gainbridge Fieldhouse—for a state basketball championship.
Tomorrow, Faisal and his teammates on University High School’s boys basketball team have the chance to make their dreams come true.
But no dream can become reality without the right opportunities. And for Faisal, transferring to University High School may have been just the opportunity he needed.
When Faisal first arrived at University High School in 2023, he wasn’t sure what to expect. He’d spent his freshman year at a large public school where basketball felt synonymous with politics and opportunities seemed to come from connections rather than effort. He wasn’t used to feeling seen or supported. But from the moment he met Coach Justin Blanding, something felt different.
“He laid out a vision for what was possible here, and I believed in it,” Faisal said. “I knew I could trust him.”
That trust carried Faisal through his first season at University, where he’d often swing between varsity and JV. Some days he would only play two quarters of JV and sit the rest because he was needed on the varsity bench. It was tough, but Faisal trusted in Coach Blanding’s vision for him.
“I’ve had so many deep conversations with Blanding about my role on the team and what he’s envisioned for me,” said Faisal. “He promised I’d get to do the things here that I wasn’t given the chance to do at my old school and that people would finally get to see how good I really am. I can’t thank him enough for that.”
Over time, the trust Faisal put in Coach Blanding grew to include his teammates too—including fellow captains Max McComb, Zien Bland, and Blake Gray.
When the team got off to a rough start this season—going 2-6 in the first eight games—the captains came together for a meeting. The conversation wasn’t about strategy or stats. It was about why they were playing.
“We literally had a meeting, and we talked about how we wanted to do this for Blanding,” Faisal said. After that, the team turned up the intensity, taking practices more seriously, pushing each other harder, and holding each other accountable. “We just needed the right mentality and a wake-up call,” he explained. “I always envisioned us going to the state championship. I saw the guys we have. I knew what we were capable of.”
Now, with the state championship he envisioned just one day away, Faisal realizes that trust and support have been the foundation of this postseason run—not just within the team, but throughout the entire school.
“There wasn’t a single teacher who didn’t tell me congratulations this whole playoffs,” he said. “They show up at our games. They remind me every day how blessed I am to be here.”
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