Lakeland High School’s Keontae Boyette was voted Duke Automotive-Suffolk News-Herald Player of the Week after scoring 25 points for the Cavaliers in a victory against Hickory High School.

Boyette is a sophomore guard for the boys’ basketball team. In the win against Hickory on Dec. 16, his 25 points helped propel his team to a victory.

In that game, Boyette only had six points at the half, and his team was trailing by two in the second half. He stepped up with 19 second-half points.

“I told my boys we can’t lose,” he said. “I did what I had to do for my team to win the game. That game was a must-win for us. They felt like they had a chance, so we came out in the second half and finished the game strong.”

Boyette plays with a chip on his shoulder. He likes to play as hard as he can on the court. His high-energy game allows him to be scrappy and make hustle plays for his team when needed. When he doesn’t have anything going defensively, he can find other ways to be effective on the court.

“I try to be as cool and smart as possible,” Boyette said. “I play hard every game. I just have to be sure to keep my composure and make smart decisions for my team.”

The sophomore is in his first full season of varsity basketball and has progressed well up to this point. His potential is being noticed by people around him, who believe he can have a great career at Lakeland.

“Keontae is ahead of schedule with his progression in leading by example on and off the court,” Cavs coach Clint Wright said. “There is room for improvement, and that will continue with each game that he plays.”

Boyette was introduced to the game through his older brother, who he named as a source of inspiration.

“My brother is my biggest inspiration,” Boyette said. “He always tells me, ‘Don’t be like him. Be better.’”

Boyette knows how good his team can be and motivates them at all times. He considers himself growing as a leader.

“We lost some very good players last year,” he said. “But I feel like all of us have the mindset and potential to have a good season. There is no pressure. We just have to keep working at practice and learning from our mistakes.”

Lakeland currently sits at 3-7. The Cavs recently picked up a win against rival Nansemond River. Boyette feels that Lakeland is set to finish strong in the second half of the season.

“We set a goal to finish the year strong,” he said. “I believe we can finish the year strong. We have to hit shots and play as a team.”