Playing With Purpose: Douglass High’s Melo Boone is WKYT Athlete of the Week

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - The Fredrick Douglass boys basketball team has rattled off 22 straight wins, taking just two losses all season.

One of their star players is sophomore Melo Boone. On Monday night, Boone notched a double-double for the Broncos; 22 points and 11 rebounds as Douglass beat Bryan Station 86-63.

“He’s been such a special player for us this year, you know, I can’t say enough good things about the kid. He just got Technology Academy Student of the Month, so it’s been a good week for him. Just to know that he’s doing it in the classroom, in the hallways he’s always a positive person, always has a smile on his face,” said Douglass interim boys basketball coach Wes Scarberry. “To know what he has gone through- it’s just a tragic event that no kid should have to go through.”

Melo’s dad, Eric Boone Sr., was shot and killed in May of last year in broad daylight.

Melo said he was on his way to a basketball workout when he got the call, so he is playing this season in honor of his dad.

“I just couldn’t believe it,” Boone said. " I just knew I’ve got to focus on basketball and just push through.”

He keeps a photo of his dad on his backpack whether he’s going to class or a game. He said in the back of his mind he can still hear his dad pushing him to work harder.

“He got me in to basketball. At first, I was in love with football,” he said with a smile. “He used to get on me, he would push me through workouts and stuff. He just wanted me to be great.”

Melo says basketball has become therapeutic for him, and his teammates have been some of his biggest supporters as they try and make a push to the state tournament, honoring the late Eric Boone Sr. in the process.

The Douglass Broncos finish out the regular season Friday night at The Farm, hosting Lafayette for a 7:30 P.M. tip-off.

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