By BYRON BEERS
Triston Driver is making waves on the basketball court as a sophomore at Bixby.
Driver, who has played since the age of five, has dedicated himself solely to basketball and has become one of the top sophomore guards in the state.
“He’s one of the top sophomore point guards in the state,” Bixby head coach Lance Kight said going into the 2022-23 season. “He’s a tremendous 3-point shooter and passer. Great Team player.”
Over 23 games as a freshman, Driver averaged 10.2 points per game. He knocked down 44 3-pointers, shooting 33 percent from behind the arc, and was a 77 percent free throw shooter. He had a season-best 21 points twice against Union and Rogers, and finished in double figures 12 times.
“I have more of a leadership role,” said Driver, who has helped the Spartans to a 12-3 record and No. 7 ranking in Class 6A through Jan. 21. “We returned everyone [from last year] so we should win a lot of games.”
Driver, who has upped his scoring average to 15 points this year, has played a big role in Bixby’s current stretch of six straight wins.
Driver’s favorite drill is the “Steph” after his favorite player, Stephen Curry. The backbone of his game is his shooting ability, while he’s working on improving his strength and getting to the basket.
“I model my game after Stephen Curry because of his ability to shoot the ball and score on all three levels,” he said. “My favorite drill is called the “Steph” where you have to hit a layup, floater, midrange and 3 in a row.”
Despite the demands of practices and games, Driver is able to balance his time between basketball and academics.
“I usually train/practice before and after school, then do homework at night,” Driver said. “My main goal for basketball this year is to go to the state tournament, and for academics, finish with all As.”
Driver, who has hopes of playing Division I college basketball, enjoys fishing and being outdoors with his family during his free time, and representing Bixby on and off the court.
