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When you think of the word “habits,” what comes to mind? Your sleeping habits? Perhaps the urge to scroll on social media before you go to bed; maybe a thought about that nagging addiction to sweets that you cannot break.
For Montclair State University’s men’s basketball team, “H.A.B.I.T.S” is an acronym of core values for a way of life.
Heart, appreciation, brotherhood, investment, toughness, and sacrifice – these are the core values that make up “H.A.B.I.T.S.”
The acronym was integrated into the program by head coach Justin Potts and associate head coach Sean Rossi when they joined the program and has become a harbinger for team members ever since.
“[H.A.B.I.T.S] is something that me and Coach Rossi came up with when we got here to try to establish a foundation for the program and some core values that we [the program] can be committed to,” Potts said. “Oftentimes, they say you first make your habits, then your habits make you. So really, it’s just an idea that what you do every day will show up in your biggest moments.”
Head coach Justin Potts (pictured) and associate head coach Sean Rossi introduced ‘H.A.B.I.T.S’ to Montclair State men’s basketball when they arrived in 2019. | Photo Courtesy of Montclair State Athletics.
Whether it is waking up early to get ready for class or putting in extra time at the gym to condition your body for a grueling season, the “H.A.B.I.T.S” acronym is a commitment that every member, from the coaching staff down to the team managers, fully embodies and buys into.
Graduate guard Kieran Flanagan, who has been with Coach Potts since he was a freshman, reflected on how the acronym has changed his perspective of life on and off the court.
“I try to live every single one of those letters,” Flanagan said. “Coach Potts, Coach Rossi, and former coaches have helped me so much on the court but off the court as well – waking up early morning five days a week at 6 a.m. because that’s what you’re going to have to do in real life. Getting schoolwork done, being prepared and managing your time – these are all skills that apply to real life and thankfully they taught it really well and will set up players for future success.”
Graduate guard Kieran Flanagan reflected on how the acronym has changed his perspective of life on and off the court. | Photo Courtesy of Montclair State Athletics.
Consistent habits, such as the things Flanagan mentioned above, are examples of the sacrifice, appreciation and investment that he has learned from the program.
Every time Flanagan steps onto the court, he plays with a level of heart and toughness that is reflective on the stat sheet. Last season, Flanagan was top three statistically on the team in points, rebounds and assists.
Additionally, Montclair State led all of the New Jersey Athletic Conference, or NJAC, in forced turnovers per game with 19.5. A lot of that can be attributed to the full court defense that the team plays for the entirety of a game – forcing opponents to play fast paced and often times out of their game. Flanagan’s tenacious and aggressive style was key for this defense – leading the Red Hawks in steals per game with 1.7.
Senior guard Mike Jackson is another player who showcases “H.A.B.I.T.S.”
Last season, Jackson was the team’s leading scorer (18.6) and rebounder (6.7). According to the Montclair State athletics website, Jackson was also second-team All-Met, third-team All-Region, and first-team All-NJAC player.
Being with the program since he was a freshman, Jackson expressed the importance of what “H.A.B.I.T.S” means to him and how it has helped him as an individual.
“H.A.B.I.T.S means a lot to me,” Jackson said. “It is family-based, and I didn’t know what it meant when I first came here until Coach Potts and Rossi poured into me what it meant. I have heart, I appreciate the program, we [the team] are all a brotherhood, we all invest into it, we all have toughness, and we all sacrifice.”
Senior guard Mike Jackson expressed the importance of ‘H.A.B.I.T.S’. | Photo Courtesy of Montclair State Athletics.
Last season, Jackson also led the team in minutes played, with a season total of 854 minutes played, or an average of 31.6 per game. With Montclair State’s high-octane style of play, it is impressive the numbers that Jackson is able to accumulate for the duration of a season. Jackson was asked how he prepares himself on a day-by-day basis to carry the rigorous workload.
“Last season we ended [losing] in the [NJAC tournament semifinals]. I’ve been locked in since then,” Jackson said. “Staying in the gym, conditioning-wise. Working myself out to exhaustion to get myself prepared for this moment now to begin the season.”
It is clear that Jackson’s work ethic is second to none and also a great example to his peers around him that if you put in the work, you will be successful.
Jackson also spoke on being a leader and voice for the younger and newer players on the team.
“Being a senior and a leader means a lot because having incoming freshmen and transfers coming in and taking them under your wing, little things matter,” Jackson said.
Coming into the gym after practice hours and putting up hundreds of shots when you are exhausted are some of the “little things” about Jackson that signify what “H.A.B.I.T.S” is all about.
They say it takes 90 days to build a habit, but for Montclair State, it has been 272 days since their loss in the semifinals last season to Stockton University – 272 days for the team to apply and build “H.A.B.I.T.S” that will help them en route for their push for a NJAC title this season.