A 10-year-old Pickering boy who is still years away from college is already creating some buzz on the hardwood.
What does Aiden Gill have in common with the likes of Steph Curry, James Harden and Demar DeRozan? They all can shoot out the lights. Aiden put on a clinic at a recent Knights of Columbus free-throw shooting competition.
Aiden hasn’t been dribbling a basketball from birth and didn’t learn to walk with one either. Actually, it wasn’t until about a year ago that the 10-year-old started focusing on his dribbling. Draining buckets was his top priority when he started playing the game three years ago.
“Don’t crumble if you miss one, just get the next one,” said Aiden, the 2018 Knights of Columbus free throw competition Canadian winner.
“With Aiden, my focus was for him to be able to shoot the ball first and foremost because it takes a lot of repetition for you to be able to shoot the ball effectively, whereas with dribbling you can get a lot of repetition just because you’re bouncing the ball 10-15 minutes,” said Stephen Gill, Aiden’s father and basketball coach.
The Grade 5 student who attends St. Monica Catholic School is determined to improve his game, taking over 1,000 shots a week.
“He’s a little fire, that’s what Aiden stands for, that’s why we picked the name, he’s a little fire, he goes out there and he does not back down,” said Stephen.
Aiden’s practice has paid off in more ways than one — he plays a level up.
“I get to show off my skills and show that I can play with the older kids,” said Aiden.
And most recently, shot out the lights in a Knights of Columbus free-throw competition.
This is the first time, with Aiden, who all of a sudden at the final shoots 23 out of 25 and these are numbers I’ve never heard of and so Aiden first in Canada, tied for second internationally, pretty good stuff from a young boy from Pickering,” said Walter Heeney, Knights of Columbus Basketball free-throw project co-ordinator.
Despite being the best in the country, Aiden isn’t satisfied with his 92 per cent shooting clip.
“I know I can do better, I know I can do 25 next time,” said Aiden.
Ever since Aiden picked up a basketball three years ago, he’s excelled on the court. He’s hoping with the success he’s had shooting the ball that one day, it could lead him to the NCAA and potentially even the NBA. But he knows it’s still a long road ahead with many obstacles to dribble around.