FRUITPORT – The very young Fruitport boys basketball team needed senior leadership headed into the season, but there was some question whether Kyle Burke would grow into that role.

Luckily he’s addressed that question in a very positive way.

Effort was never an issue for Burke. He had always been a passionate competitor who battled hard for his team, but sometimes struggled to control his emotions when things went wrong on the court.

Those negative moments did not help the common cause.

This season, as only one of four seniors on the squad, Burke realized he had to step up, and part of that was controlling his reactions to challenging situations.

“I am really competitive and passionate – a sore loser, if you want to put it that way,” said Burke, who will be on the court on Tuesday when the Trojans host Newaygo in a non-conference battle. “In the past when we were losing or I was having a bad game, it used to be very hard for me to stay focused and not get angry.

“This year I talked to my coach before the season started, and that was our main focus. Then in the first game, I got into a little tussle with a kid and he threw me to the ground, but for the first time I didn’t get angry. I just walked away. That felt pretty good.”

Fruitport head coach Steve Erny has noticed the difference.

“This year has been a big step forward in that area,” Erny said. “I can think of a few moments when he could have had a very bad response to some things, but he responded in a very mature way.”

The more mature Burke is enjoying basketball more than ever. That’s obvious when you ask him to choose his favorite season.

His options were last season, when he started for a Fruitport squad that set a school record for victories and reached the district finals, or this season, when he’s been scoring more points but the Trojans have been losing a lot.

Burke says he’s having more fun this year, despite Fruitport’s 4-10 record, and it’s not because of his increased scoring.

“Although last year we had a good team, this year we have a really good team connection,” he said. “It’s like one big best friend group. When we start putting all the pieces together, we will start winning.”

Of course Burke has some great memories from the 2022-23 season, when the Trojans posted a very nice 15-10 record.

His best personal memory was Fruitport’s stunning 77-69 overtime upset of powerful Whitehall in the Division 2 district semifinals.

Whitehall scored the first basket in overtime, then Burke answered with two crucial free throws and a big three-pointer, and his team plowed through for the victory.

“That was probably the best basketball moment I’ve ever had, and by far the most fun game I’ve ever been a part of,” he said.

Burke said last year’s team was special because the losing mentality that surrounded Fruitport basketball for so long was finally gone.

“There were times in the past when we were getting ready to play Unity Christian or Holland Christian and nobody thought we were going to win, including some of the players,” he said. “Last year was different. We felt like we could win every game.”

Headed into this season, Burke knew things were going to be different. Most of the top players from last year’s squad were seniors who graduated, and he knew the 2023-24 Trojans would include three juniors, three sophomores and a freshman.

He’s helped the team deal with the transition in a number of ways.

Burke has been scoring a lot more points for a team that really needs them sometimes. Last year he averaged about three points per game, while this year’s he’s averaging more than eight.

Burke has had some big scoring games, including 21 points in a season-opening victory over West Michigan Christian and 15 in a recent loss to Grand Rapids West Catholic.

“It’s fun to score, but I really try to get my teammates the ball as much as possible,” he said. “I feel like I could score a lot more if I wanted to, but that’s not my role.”

Burke has also been a steady workhorse in practices and games, whether the Trojans have been doing well or not.

“We have been taking our lumps lately, but Kyle has been a consistently hard worker who does not complain,” Coach Erny said. “His work rate does not die down just because we are having a tough time. He sets a good example that way.”

Burke thinks he and his fellow seniors are investing in the future of the program. He believes there is real talent among the younger players and wants to help them develop before he’s gone.

“I just kind of came in this year with that kind of mentality – it’s my last year, so I just want to leave it all out there, set a good example for my younger teammates and get them started with the right mindset,” he said. “If they stay on track, I think they can be a pretty good team next year. I think a lot of the upperclassmen think that.”

That doesn’t mean Burke is ready to give up on the current season.

The Trojans have lost eight straight after a 4-2 start, but two games last week demonstrated that they are not done fighting.

Against Grand Rapids West Catholic, the Trojans battled back from a nine-point deficit in the final 1:13 and pulled within two points before losing. Against Hamilton, Fruitport rallied from a 17-point deficit in the final two minutes and pulled within two points before falling.

“It tells a lot about our team,” Burke said about the impressive comebacks. “Whenever we are hitting shots, it’s like a snowball effect. We get better and better the more we make. Losing definitely sucks, but it’s good to know we have the capability to come back on good teams.”